Hypercalcemia: an unusual etiology of a common menopausal symptom.

OBJECTIVE

To describe atypical vasomotor symptoms that were secondary to primary hyperparathyroidism.

DESIGN

Case report.

SETTING

University medical center.

PATIENT(S): A 57-year-old, postmenopausal woman with recalcitrant hot flushes.

INTERVENTION(S): Parathyroid adenomectomy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Vasomotor symptom relief.

RESULT(S): Postoperative relief of atypical vasomotor symptoms.

CONCLUSION(S): A patient 17 years postmenopause presented with atypical vasomotor symptoms that did not respond to hormone therapy and proved to be due to hypercalcemia secondary to primary hyperparathyroidism. An atypical manifestation of a common condition or an uncharacteristic therapeutic response should alert health care providers to the possibility of a different diagnosis.