Elevated phosphorus can manifest as low calcium, hypocalcemic hand and foot twitching, metastatic calcification, and cardiac arrest.
The calcium-phosphorus product in the body is constant, and when phosphorus is elevated, calcium decreases; therefore, elevated phosphorus can present as hypocalcemia.
1. Hypocalcemic hand and foot twitching. Severe hyperphosphatemia will present with an extreme decrease in blood calcium and the appearance of hand and foot twitching.
2. Metastatic calcification. Decrease in blood calcium concentration, dissolution of bone calcium, and abnormal calcium salt deposits in other parts of the body. It can occur in joints, soft tissues, lungs, kidneys and conjunctiva.
3. Cardiac abnormalities and even cardiac arrest. Hyperphosphatemia inhibits the synthesis of active vitamins in the kidneys and further aggravates hypocalcemia, which can lead to prolonged sinus tachycardia intervals with abnormal waves and cardiac arrest.
Elevated phosphorus should be treated under the direction of a physician.