Close
27th February 2025
A 52-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department after her daughter was unable to rouse her.
A 52-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department after her daughter was unable to rouse her. She has a background of bipolar disorder and polymyalgia rheumatica, for which she takes lithium 800 mg nightly and prednisolone 7.5 mg daily, respectively.
Her daughter reports her mother has been staying up all night and behaving erratically over the last couple of weeks and that she had complained of diarrhoea over the last few days. She also reports they had been arguing over her mother’s plans to sell her house so that she could invest in a new cryptocurrency.
On arrival, her GCS is 8 (E1/V2/M5), with a heart rate of 107 bpm, blood pressure of 101/74 mmHg and temperature of 36.6oC. Blood tests are as follows:
| Sodium | 128 mmol/L | 135-145 mmol/L |
| Potassium | 4.8 mmol/L | 3.5-5.3 mmol/L |
| Urea | 7.4 mmol/L | 2.5-6.7 mmol/L |
| Creatinine | 111 μmol/L | 70-100 μmol/L |
| Corrected calcium | 2.84 mmol/L | 2.12-2.60 mmol/L |
What is the most probable cause of her hypercalcaemia?
Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.
Complete Guide to Clinical Genetics ST3 Application and Recruitment (2027)
Written by Medibuddy. Last updated: October 2026. Clinical Genetics is
Complete Guide to Clinical Radiology ST3 Application and Recruitment (2027)
Recruitment paused: NHS England is not running Clinical Radiology ST3+ recru
Complete Guide to Paediatric Surgery ST3 Application and Recruitment in United Kingdom (2026)
Written by Medibuddy. Last updated: October 2026. If you’re planning
Take your subscriptions with you
Our mobile app allows you to access your interview and exam question banks wherever you are.
