Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Diagnosis, Indications for Surgery, and Perioperative Management

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a disorder where 1 or more parathyroid glands become overactive, resulting in overproduction of parathyroid hormones. The diagnosis of PHPT is often made in the primary care setting based on elevated serum calcium with inappropriately elevated parathyroid hormone levels. Classic signs and symptoms include kidney calculi, osteoporosis, peptic ulcers, and fatigue. After diagnosis is made, early referral to an experienced endocrine surgeon is necessary because surgery is the only definitive treatment for PHPT.

Source: The Journal for Nurse Practitioners - October 20, 2019 Category: Nursing Authors: Qian Zeng, Taylor Brown, Ruo Zhu Chen Tags: Featured Article Source Type: research