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Unusual presentation of more common disease/injury
An interesting case that included visual hallucinations in a patient with severe hypomagnesaemia and hypocalcaemia
  1. Andrea Wilkinson
  1. Endocrine/OP B Department, George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Andrea Wilkinson, afiscrase{at}yahoo.co.uk

Summary

A 57-year-old man presenting with profound visual hallucinations was found to have severe hypomagnesaemia and hypocalcaemia with a normal level of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Magnesium is essential to the release of PTH so the suspected pathophysiology was thought to be: low Mg → inappropriately low PTH → low Ca. He commenced supplementation and his symptoms resolved. Causes of hypomagnesaemia are discussed.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr.10.2011.5051

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.

    • Patient consent Obtained.