What is Burnett’s Syndrome?

Burnetts Syndrome

Burnett’s syndrome is a medical condition in which a person suffers with a longterm milk and alkaline ingestion inequality that results in severe hypercalcemia (high levels of calcium in the blood), irreversible renal failure, and phosphate retention.

Burnett’s syndrome has also been associated with ectopic calcification.

People who are most at risk of Burnett’s Syndrome are older women, because they are on high dietary or supplementary vitamin intake of calcium and vitamin D, which over long term periods, cause an excess of milk/alkaline solutions in the body.

Burnett’s Syndrome is treated by decreasing dietary calcium intake and in severe cases, treatment in hospital with IV fluids to wash out the calcium.

What is the signicance of Burnett’s syndrome to paramedics?

As a paramedic, you may attend patients who have had a renal calculi, secondary to the excess levels of calcium in their blood. The main priority as a paramedic is still to treat the ABC and manage the patien’s pain. However, on top of this, it may be useful to identify the possible un-identified condition of Burnett’s syndrome.

If a patient is known to suffer with Burnett’s syndrome, it is likely that they have a decrease in renal function and possible renal failure. Consequently, paramedics should ensure that they do not use any nephrotoxic analgesias, such as methoxyflurane.