hypophosphatemia

Key facts

Medical condition (new).name: Hypophosphatemia
Medical condition (new).synonyms: Low blood phosphate, phosphate deficiency, hypophosphataemia
Medical condition (new).image: Phosphate Group.svg
Medical condition (new).caption: Phosphate group chemical structure
Medical condition (new).field: Endocrinology
Medical condition (new).symptoms: Weakness, trouble breathing, loss of appetite
Medical condition (new).complications: Seizures, coma, rhabdomyolysis, softening of the bones
Medical condition (new).causes: Alcohol use disorder, refeeding in those with malnutrition, hyperventilation, diabetic ketoacidosis, burns, certain medications
Medical condition (new).diagnosis: Blood phosphate < 0.81 mmol/L (2.5 mg/dL)
Medical condition (new).treatment: Based on the underlying cause, phosphate
Medical condition (new).frequency

Article

8 sections

Contents

Signs and symptoms
Causes
Pathophysiology
Diagnosis
Treatment
See also
References
External links

Hypophosphatemia is an electrolyte disorder in which there is a low level of phosphate in the blood. Symptoms may include weakness, trouble breathing, and loss of appetite. Complications may include seizures, coma, rhabdomyolysis, or softening of the bones.

Nutritional phosphate deficiency is exceedingly rare as phosphate is abundant in most types of foods and is readily passively absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract; hypophosphatemia is thus typically a result of diseases or an adverse effect of medical treatments. Causes include alcohol use disorder, refeeding in those with malnutrition, recovery from diabetic ketoacidosis, burns, hyperventilation, and certain medications. It may also occur in the setting of hyperparathyroidism, hypothyroidism, and Cushing syndrome.