A 43-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of nausea, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and progressive numbness around the mouth for the past 24 hours. His only medication is a multivitamin supplement. The patient reports a history of "high blood pressure and a thyroid disorder." He appears fatigued. While measuring the patient's blood pressure, the nurse observes a spasm in the patient's hand. Further discussion with this patient is most likely to reveal which of the following?

Question

A 43-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of nausea, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and progressive numbness around the mouth for the past 24 hours. His only medication is a multivitamin supplement. The patient reports a history of "high blood pressure and a thyroid disorder."  He appears fatigued. While measuring the patient's blood pressure, the nurse observes a spasm in the patient's hand. Further discussion with this patient is most likely to reveal which of the following?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Hypocalcemia can cause muscle cramps, perioral paresthesias, hypotension, and neuromuscular hyperexcitability.  Injury to the parathyroid glands during thyroid surgery is a common cause of hypoparathyroidism and acute hypocalcemia.

A 43-Year-Old Man Comes to the Emergency Department Because of Nausea