Signs & Symptoms of High Calcium in the Blood

Calcium -- a a vital mineral that all humans need -- is essential to good health. It is the primary building block for the bones, sustains the smoothness of the skeletal muscles, aids the heart and helps the blood clot at the right rate. Only one percent of the body's calcium in the body is found in the blood. However, too much calcium in the blood- called hypercalcemia- can often be a life-threatening problem if not detected and treated. Hypercalcemia can affect a wide range of body parts and organs.

Gastrointestinal Problems

• MedicineNet.com reports that gastrointestinal symptoms are common in hypoglycemic patients. Some of the most common symptoms include constipation, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and peptic ulcers.

Kidney Problems

• According to VirtualCancerCenter.com, high calcium in the blood can lead to kidney problems. Symptoms of such problems include increased urine production and output, kidney stones, dehydration and pain in the sides of the body. The excess urine is the result of the kidney's inability to retain calcium in the urine, leading to excess calcium in the blood. Dehydration, another symptom of hypercalcemia, can also lead to low blood flow into the kidneys.

Neuromuscular problems

• High blood calcium can also lead to neuromuscular symptoms relating to the central nervous system, which controls the nerve and muscular movements of the body. Symptoms of neuromuscular problems related to high blood calcium include weakness, disorientation, confusion and coma. Other neurological symptoms of hypercalcemia listed on MedicineNet.com include depression and dementia.

Cardiovascular Symptoms

• VirtualCancerCentre.com also reports that abnormal heart beat, fluctuations in your ECG graph and high blood pressure are some of the cardiac symptoms that could be caused by high blood calcium.