Here, the high level of parathyroid hormone is caused by another condition or deficiency. This condition causes chronic low calcium levels in your blood and your parathyroid glands have to work extra hard to try to raise your blood calcium level and release more parathyroid hormone. Tests will usually show a raised level of parathyroid hormone and a low blood calcium level.
Causes
- If you have an intestinal or gut condition, such as Crohn’s Disease, you may have a problem absorbing calcium from your food into your blood causing persistently low calcium levels.
- Vitamin D deficiency (which can cause rickets in children or osteomalacia in adults) is another common cause of chronic low level of calcium in your blood.
- The most common cause of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism is kidney disease. It occurs in nearly all people who are on long-term kidney dialysis because of kidney failure. Because you have kidney failure, your blood calcium level can become chronically low.
Symptoms
In Secondary Hyperparathyroidism, you will have symptoms of low, NOT high. You may develop bone complications such as osteopaenia or osteoporosis and the symptoms related to that.
In Secondary Hyperparathyroidism, you will have a low or normal calcium level with a raised parathyroid hormone level. In kidney disease, your blood phosphate level can be high because your kidneys cannot remove phosphate in your urine.
Treatment
In Secondary Hyperparathyroidism the underlying condition should be treated; for example, vitamin D deficiency should be treated with vitamin D supplements. Early treatment of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism can prevent bone complications and reduce the chance of Tertiary Hyperparathyroidism.
Surgery to remove parathyroid glands in Secondary Hyperparathyroidism would only be considered in certain severe conditions eg end stage renal failure.