Published Jan 4, 2009
LuvScrubs2, BSN, RN
306 Posts
After an individual has a panic attack, with hyperventilation, I seen carpopedal spasms of the wrists occuring in the patient does anyone know why this happens? or what is the mechanism occuring? i tried looking it up and for the life of me I can't find it. Can someone guide me in the correct path... thank you...:uhoh21:
mjvarno
20 Posts
Hyperventilating causes the blood pH to go up. High pH reduces the level of available Ca in the blood. Hypocalcemia causes Trousseau's or better known as carpopedal spasms.
Daytonite, BSN, RN
1 Article; 14,604 Posts
what is the mechanism of a muscle spasm and why does the person have pain?
carpopedal spasms are pretty specific to a condition called hypocalcemia (low serum blood calcium). i saw these spasms once during my career in a post thyroidectomy patient and the poor woman was in absolute agony, a world of pain and scared to death. if you've ever had a charley horse you have an idea what a muscle spasm feels like. the surgeon had accidentally removed one of the parathyroid glands during the surgery causing the sudden drop in calcium and this is how the condition was discovered. we ended up giving her iv injections of calcium and her spasms stopped most dramatically. she is on calcium replacement for the remainder of her natural life.
calcium is needed for blood coagulation, the activation of many enzymes, the maintenance of acid-base balance, for the rigidness of teeth and bone, lactation, the function of nerves and muscles (particularly the heart), and cell membrane permeability. vitamin d is needed for the body to absorb and activate calcium for use by the body. calcium is also an electrolyte where about half of it circulates in the blood as a usable ion and must be constantly replaced by what we ingest through eating (foods that are high in calcium include natural foods such as many of the dried legumes and vegetables, salmon, tofu, rhubarb, sardines, collard greens, spinach, turnip greens, okra, white beans, baked beans, broccoli, peas, brussels sprouts, sesame seeds, bok choy, almonds). the other half of calcium in the body is stored in the teeth and bones. the calcium ion in circulation can be lost through the renal track and any calcium entering the gi track can exit through the intestines. therefore, it can be depleted very rapidly and must be constantly replaced. the parathyroid glands help to maintain the balance between the calcium that is stored in places like teeth and bone and the blood. if that balance is interrupted in some way (ex: renal failure, cirrhosis, hypoparathyroidism, malabsorption, vitamin d deficiency) then hypocalcemia results. other symptoms of hypocalcemia are:
[*]gi
[*]musculoskeletal
[*]neurologic
[*]blood clotting abnormalities
[*]fractures may occur because of the loss of calcium from the bones
Thank you soooooo much Daytonite!!!!!!!!!
djaemac
6 Posts
Hyperventilation is more than body requirements for breathing. During hyperventilation, arterial pC02 levels drop because of overbreathing. Due to the calcium levels decreasing, blood flow to the brain also decreases which may result in weakness, dizziness, fainting, spasms and cramps of the hands and feet, and also muscle twitching; therefore, we need calcium for blood coagulation. Without efficient calcium in our bodies, carpopedal spasms may occur.