Milk-alkali syndrome in a rare environment associated with an uncommon feature

Abstract

Milk-alkali syndrome is a rare syndrome noted in the premodern era during treatment of peptic ulcer disease with calcium-enriched milk and absorbable alkali. It was associated with hypercalcemia, alkalosis, renal insufficiency and hyperphosphatemia during that era. Its incidence fell following the advent of modern era forms of peptic ulcer treatment. However, the syndrome is re-emerging owing to the availability of over-the-counter calcium carbonate-containing antacids in this modern era but with a low incidence of hyperphosphatemia. The syndrome is rare in our environment and has not been reported. Here, we report a rare case of milk-alkali syndrome associated with hyperphosphatemia in an adult male who presented to us after weeks of ingestion of antacids. He was managed accordingly and made full recovery after four weeks.