Word parts
What it means
The four small parathyroid glands sit behind the thyroid glandTHY-royd GLANDA butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck that makes hormones that control the body's metabolism.thyr/o thyroid-oid resemblingFull entry . When blood calciumKAL-see-umA mineral that builds bones and teeth and that nerves, muscles, the heart and blood clotting need to work.Full entry drops, they release parathyroid hormone (PTH). It pulls calcium out of the bones, makes the kidneys keep calcium and lose phosphate, and helps activate vitamin D so the gut absorbs more calcium. Too much PTH raises calcium; too little lowers it.
For the nurse
After thyroid or parathyroid surgery, the parathyroids can be injured; watch for low calcium, such as tingling around the mouth and fingers and muscle cramps, and keep IV calcium nearby.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | PTH |
|---|---|
| Spanish | hormona paratiroidea |
| Also written | PTH, parathyroid hormones, parathormone |
Related terms
calcium
A mineral that builds bones and teeth and that nerves, muscles, the heart and blood clotting need to work.
osteoporosis
A condition in which bones lose density and become thin, weak and easy to break.
endocrine
Relating to the glands that release hormones straight into the blood, or to those hormones.
thyroid gland
A butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck that makes hormones that control the body's metabolism.