Pathogenesis (development of disease)
Hypocalcemic tetany (tetany associated with decreased calcium blood levels).
- Enterogenic/primary calcium deficiency tetany – associated with calcium malabsorption or malnutrition.
- Parathreogenic tetany – after parathyroidectomy (parathyroidectomy), in idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (parathyroid hypofunction).
- Pseudohypoparathyroidism (synonym: Martin-Albright syndrome) – genetic disorder with autosomal dominant inheritance; symptoms of hypoparathyroidism (parathyroid hypofunction) without a deficiency of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the blood: depending on the appearance, four types are distinguished:
- Type Ia: concomitant Albright osteodystrophy: brachymetacarpy (shortening of single or multiple metacarpal bones) and tarsy (shortening of single or multiple metatarsal bones), round face, short stature
- Type Ib; as in type 1a, there is renal PTH resistance, resistance to other hormones, especially thyrotropin are also possible; there is no Albright osteodystrophy
- Type Ic: identical to type 1a, except that receptor-independent cAMP production is preserved in vitro.
- Type II: probably several subtypes, Albright osteodystrophy is not present.
- Recalcification tetany – calcium avidity after parathyroidectomy (parathyroidectomy).
- Renal (kidney-related) tetany – hyperphosphatemia (excess phosphate) due to renal insufficiency (kidney weakness).
- Toxic (based on poison effect) tetany – due to oxalates, fluorides, citrates.
Normocalcemic tetany (tetany accompanied by normal calcium blood levels).
- Idiopathic tetany – in neurasthenics, psychopathies.
- Hyperventilation tetany – in respiratory (breathing-related) alkalosis (acid-base balance disorder).
- In infectious diseases, unspecified
- In drug poisoning – epinephrine, guanidine, caffeine, morphine.
- Central (brain-related) tetany – in hypothalamic lesions (injuries in the area of the hypothalamus/section of the diencephalon in the area of the optic nerve junction).
- Magnesium deficiency tetany – due to hypomagnesemia (magnesium deficiency).
- Gastric tetany (chloriprive tetany) – due to hypochloremia (decreases in chloride in the blood fluid) after vomiting.
- Gravidity tetany – due to hyperemesis (increased vomiting) or gestosis (umbrella term for a number of conditions that occur only during pregnancy).
Etiology (causes)
Behavioral causes
- Diet
- Micronutrient deficiency (vital substances) – see Prevention with micronutrients.
Disease-related causes
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90).
- Calcium absorption deficiency
- Calcium malnutrition
- Hypochloremia (too low blood chloride level) or hypochloremia and alkalosis after vomiting.
- Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism
- Magnesium deficiency or magnesium depletion.
- Malnutrition
- Pseudohypoparathyroidism – parathyroid hormone resistance leading to, among other things, short stature and mental retardation.
Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).
- Infectious diseases, unspecified
Psyche – nervous system (F00-F99; G00-G99).
- Hypothalamic lesions (e.g., due to trauma/injury; tumor, encephalitis), unspecified – Injuries in a part of the diencephalon.
- Neurasthenia* (nerve weakness, from τὀ νεῦρὀν neuron “nerve” and ὰσθενὴς asthenès “weak”).
- Psychopathy* (artificial word from Greek ψυχή, psychḗ, “soul” and πάθος, páthos, “suffering”; ancient Greek pronunciation, respectively).
Pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium (O00-O99).
- Emesis gravidarum (vomiting during pregnancy).
- Gestosis – high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Symptoms and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings not elsewhere classified (R00-R99).
- Hyperventilation (→ respiratory (breathing-related) alkalosis (disturbance of acid-base balance), which in turn leads to decreased calcium ionization).
Genitourinary system (kidneys, urinary tract – sex organs) (N00-N99).
Other causes
- Condition after parathyroidectomy (parathyroidectomy).
Medication
Environmental pollution – intoxications (poisonings).
- Citrate* *
- Fluorides* *
- Oxalates* *
* “Pseudo-tetany “with seizures in certain mental situations; can be copped (well suppressed)* * by calcium injection despite normocalcemia (normal calcium blood level)* * By chemical binding of blood calcium.
