Diseases

Tetany

A disorder characterized by muscle twitches, cramps, and carpopedal spasm, and when severe, laryngospasm and seizures. This condition is associated with unstable depolarization of axonal membranes, primarily in the peripheral nervous system. Tetany usually results from HYPOCALCEMIA or reduced serum levels of MAGNESIUM that may be associated with HYPERVENTILATION; HYPOPARATHYROIDISM; RICKETS; UREMIA; or other conditions. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1490)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A disorder characterized by muscle twitches, cramps, and carpopedal spasm, and when severe, laryngospasm and seizures. This condition is associated with unstable depolarization of axonal membranes, primarily in the peripheral nervous system. Tetany usually results from HYPOCALCEMIA or reduced serum levels of MAGNESIUM that may be associated with HYPERVENTILATION; HYPOPARATHYROIDISM; RICKETS; UREMIA; or other conditions. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1490)

MeSH Record

Classification

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

Loading graph…

Drag nodes to rearrange; hover to trace links; click a node to open its page.

MeSH Record

Synonyms

9 entry terms
  • Tetanies
  • Spasmophilia
  • Tetanilla
  • Tetany, Neonatal
  • Neonatal Tetanies
  • Neonatal Tetany
  • Spasmophilias
  • Tetanies, Neonatal
  • Tetanillas

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

do not confuse with TETANUS, a Clostridium tetani infection; tetanic spasm of muscle = SPASM; tetanic contraction = MUSCLE CONTRACTION; coordinate with cause if given

MeSH Record

History Note

SPASMOPHILIA was heading 1963-76

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

QU 260.5.C2

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Tetany. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D013746. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D013746
  2. Tetany. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetany
  3. Tetany. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q511818