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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Hypoparathyroidism is a condition in which your body secretes abnormally low levels of parathyroid hormone (parathormone). This hormone plays a key role in regulating and maintaining a balance of your body's levels of two minerals — calcium and phosphorus.
The low production of parathyroid hormone in hypoparathyroidism leads to abnormally low calcium levels in your blood and bones and to an increased amount of phosphorus.
Treatment for hypoparathyroidism consists of taking supplements to normalize your levels of calcium and phosphorus. Because hypoparathyroidism is a chronic condition, treatment is generally lifelong.
- Hypoparathyroidism. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/hypoparathyroidism.cfm. Accessed March 8, 2009.
- Shoback D. Hypoparathyroidism. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;359:391.
- Hueston WJ, et al. Endocrine disorders. In: South-Paul JE, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Family Medicine. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill/Lange; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3034534. Accessed March 8, 2009.
- Fitzgerald PA. Endocrine disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2009. 48th ed. Los Altos, Calif.: Lange Medical Publications; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=14198. Accessed March 8, 2009.
- Disorders of calcium concentration. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec12/ch156/ch156g.html. Accessed March 8, 2009.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: Calcium. Office of Dietary Supplements. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp. Accessed March 8, 2009.
