title: Excessive calcium ingestion leading to milk-alkali syndrome.
abstract: This report describes the presentation and clinical course of a 40-year-old woman who had an emergency admission for eclampsia. During routine investigations, she was found to have profound hypercalcaemia, the cause of which was identified as milk-alkali syndrome, caused by self-medication with antacid tablets for dyspepsia. Treatment with aggressive rehydration, bisphosphonates and discontinuation of antacid tablets restored normocalcaemia. The patient made a full recovery with no long-term side-effects. Her male infant was safely delivered with no deleterious effects of exposure to high calcium concentrations in utero.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport, South Wales, UK. Catherine.Bailey@gwent.wales.nhs.uk
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Gibby
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Penney