Hypocalcaemia

Hypocalcemia is the existence of a low concentration of calcium in the blood.

Changes in calcium homeostasis

The equilibrium concentration of calcium is maintained by parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D metabolites by, for bone and the kidney. The state of normocalcaemia corresponds to 4.5 to 5.5 mEq / L or 9.0 to 11.0 mg%. Importantly, the serum calcium is the sum of ionized calcium (physiologically active fraction, which corresponds to about 30% of the calcium current), the non-ionized calcium and calcium bound to plasma proteins.

Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose (milk sugar) due to the absence or insufficient quantity digestive deenzimas.

There are three types of lactose intolerance, which are caused by different processes. They are:

1. congenital - unusual happens shortly after birth;

2. that occurs after bowel diseases (such as diarrhea) - quite common in infants in the first year of life. Usually manifests itself after an episode of infectious diarrhea. In these cases resolved after infection, persistence of diarrhea to no healing to occur in the intestine. Continue feeding bottles containing lactose (besides breast milk), these cases can prolong diarrhea. The doctor needs to be consulted for better orientation.

3. a progressive decrease in the ability to digest lactose - a frequent condition, which gradually appears from two years old to adulthood. Diarrhea, excessive gas, abdominal pain and rashes are the most frequent complaints. The treatment involves the replacement of foods containing milk.

The laboratory test used in clinical practice for the diagnosis of lactose intolerance is lactose tolerance test which consists in monitoring blood glucose after an oral dose of lactose. The test is considered positive if the measures of glucose did not show an increase of 18 mg / dL between the initial fasting glucose and performed 20 consecutive, 40 and 60 minutes.

Today there are industrial formulas with cow's milk without lactose.

Older children and adults may not need as severe a diet and can tolerate small amounts of lactose. For example, some tolerate yogurt and others not.

To have a genetic origin, the prevalence of lactose intolerance can vary greatly from population to population, for example, only 1% of Swedes have already among Thais, the prevalence is 98%

Epidemiology

This intolerance appears in about one quarter of the European population and virtually all adult Asian population.

This inability is genetic. Indeed, lactose intolerance in the adult is considered to be a characteristic ancestor.