Primary hyperparathyroidism and peptic ulcer.

The influence of serum calcium level on gastric secretions provides the most striking evidence for an association between these two disorders. Because the association now appears to be more than coincidental, and because traditional ulcer therapy or gastric surgery can be dangerous — even fatal — in the patient with hyperparathyroidism, the presence of this endocrinopathy should be excluded in all patients with peptic-ulcer disease, before medical or surgical treatment is begun.