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Milk-alkali syndrome - Treatment

Treatment:

Treatment involves reducing or eliminating milk and other forms of calcium such as in antacids. If severe kidney failure has occurred, the damage may be permanent.

Expectations (prognosis):

This condition is often reversible if kidney function remains normal. Severe prolonged cases may lead to permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis.

Complications:

The most common complications include:

Calcium deposits in tissues (calcinosis)
Kidney failure
Kidney stones

Calling your health care provider:

Contact your health care provider if:

You drink large amounts of milk and you often use antacids.
You have any symptoms that might suggest kidney problems.

Reviewed last on: 11/30/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Herbert Y. Lin, MD, PHD, Nephrologist, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Wysolmerski JJ, Insogna KL. The parathyroid glands, hypercalcemia, and hypocalcemia. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 266.

Peptic ulcer

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