Are there risk factors for parathyroid diseases?

The cause of parathyroid disorders is not well known. Hyperparathyroidism is a condition in which one or more of the parathyroid glands makes and releases too much parathyroid hormone. Excess amounts of parathyroid hormone result in a high calcium level in blood, leading to the symptoms of hyperparathyroidism. This is usually the result of a benign (non-cancerous) tumor on one of the parathyroid glands called an adenoma. Occasionally, all 4 glands grow too large (this is called hypertrophy), all making too much parathyroid hormone. Occasionally the cause is kidney disease. In some kidney diseases, the body looses excess calcium through the urine, lowering the calcium blood levels. Therefore the parathyroid glands become overactive trying to fix the calcium blood levels. Very rarely, parathyroid cancer occurs. The cause of all of these conditions are not well know. However, some risk factors have been identified.

Women are at least twice as more likely to have a parathyroid disorder. The risk of parathyroid disorders also increases with age. Therefore women over the age of 65 are at the highest risk. Children and adults with Vitamin D deficiency are at a higher risk of developing a parathyroid disorder. Vitamin D is produced within the skin when the skin is exposed to sunlight. There are some inherited disorders that increase the risk of parathyroid disorders. Multiple endocrine neoplasm type I is one of these. Families in which multiple people have endocrine tumors (endocrine tumors are tumors in the glands of the body i.e. tumors in the parathyroid glands, thyroid gland, pancreas, pituitary gland, or adrenal gland) are at a higher risk. Kidney disease also increases the risk of hyperparathyroidism.

Hypoparathyroidism is a condition in which the parathyroid glands do not make enough parathyroid hormones, lowering calcium blood levels. This is almost always due to surgical removal of the parathyroid glands. Any person who has surgery of the neck or upper chest is at risk for removal of the parathyroid glands, particularly those patients having thyroid surgery. New technology is used during thyroid surgery to ensure the parathyroid glands are not removed. Dr. Michael Friedman always checks the parathyroid hormone level during surgery to ensure the level is appropriate. Finally, when a person with hyperparathyroidism has surgery, there is a risk of hypoparathyroidism. As mentioned earlier, occasionally all four glands are diseased and must be removed to cure the disease. In these cases, and all cases of hypoparathyroidism, the patient must take calcium supplements in the form of pills for the rest of their life.