MEN 1 is rare, occurring in about 3 to 20 persons out of 100,000. In patients with
MEN 1, usually the parathyroid, the pancreas and the pituitary glands become overactive at the same time.
Nearly everyone who inherits a susceptibility to MEN 1 will develop overactive parathyroid glands (hyperparathyroidism) by age 50, but the disorder can be detected before age 20.
All four parathyroid glands tend to be overactive in people who inherit MEN 1. They release too much parathyroid hormone, leading to hypercalcemia, or excess calcium in the blood. This condition can exist for many years before it is detected. Untreated hypercalcemia can cause excess calcium to collect in the urine, leading to kidney stones or kidney damage.
Hyperparathyroidism may cause no symptoms for many years or it may lead to tiredness, weakness, muscle or bone pain, constipation, indigestion, kidney stones or thinning of bones.
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