Emergency Medicine Clinics Hypercalcemia/Multiple Myeloma

Hypercalcemia and multiple myeloma are major disease processes with at times similar presentations, especially in situations where multiple myeloma causes acute hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia, in the acute presentation, can represent a life-threatening condition with a varied and often non-specific presentation. Having a high-index of suspicion and being able to quickly associate the illness with critical findings of electrocardiogram changes, acute kidney injury, and elevated calcium levels are critical. Multiple myeloma can similarly present as a critically-ill patient with infection, severe metabolic derangements, acute kidney injury, and spinal cord compression. Rapid stabilization of both processes is critical to patient outcomes.