[Hypercalcemia: diagnostic and therapeutic procedures]

The management of hypercalcaemia is easy for a trained medical group, but it is difficult and confusing for others. The most tricky treatment is that severe acute hypercalcaemia, although biphosphonates, which are very effective agents, are now available. In 60 p. 100 of the cases, hypercalcaemia is due to a malignant disease, but the so-called benign causes, such as parathyroid adenoma, must not be missed since acute hyperparathyroidism may be life-threatening.