HYPERCALCEMIA-ZOLLINGER-ELLISON'S SYNDROME(ZES)
This condition usually affects the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and pancreas, but some times it spreads its wings to (metastasize) outside the digestive system such as to the heart lungs and parathyroid.
The feature of this disease is formations of extra tumors to produce more secretions of the concerned organ of the body.
If it is stomach and duodenum the formed tumors over stimulates gastrin secretions which in turn causes more acid secretions into the stomach which causes ulcerations.
Similarly if it affects the parathyroid gland then there are higher secretions of Para-Thyroid Hormone (PTH) which in turn causes elevations of calcium ion in the blood.
PTH stimulates osteoclastic cells (bone cells) which causes erosion and resorption of calcium in the form of hydroxyapatite crystals to result in hypercalcemia associated with Zollinger- Ellison's Disease.
Elevations of calcium ion in the serum cause many complications such as calcium deposits in the blood vessels (vascular calcifications), kidney stones, and nephro-calcifications.
Experiments have been demonstrated as patients having extra stomach tumors and have parathyroid hyperplasia (Zollinger-Ellison's Syndrome of both the organs) have got higher secretions of gastrin and gastric acid because of the elevated calcium ion in the blood due to parathyroid hyperplasia.
Hence experimentally it was shown that a parathyroidectomy (removal of the extra tumors of the hyperplastic parathyroid) causes a reduction in the serum calcium level and thereby controls the gastric acid secretions.
Hypercalcemia due to any etiology can cause
1.Kidney stones
2.High Blood Pressure due to vascular calcification
3.Cardiac Arrhythmias
4. High blood calcium may increase insulin resistance and decrease insulin receptor activities. Hypercalcemia also decrease insulin's action on fat cells due to a reduced number of glucose transporters (GLUT4)
High blood calcium due to hyperactivity of PTH can cause high blood glucose due to raised tissue insulin resistance.
5. Pancreatic hyperplasia may also be due to Zollinger-Ellison's tumors developed in the pancreas results in elevated pancreatic secretions.
High blood calcium due to hyperactivity of PTH can cause high blood glucose due to raised tissue insulin resistance.
5. Pancreatic hyperplasia may also be due to Zollinger-Ellison's tumors developed in the pancreas results in elevated pancreatic secretions.
