Purpose of review: This contribution presents research progress concerning primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT), and the background for recent notable changes in treatment policy.
Recent findings: Research has clarified that most patients with pHPT require surgery due to risk for osteoporosis, renal stones, and possibly silent complications of renal impairment, cardiovascular disease, and common psychiatric disability. Genetic studies have advanced, but the cause of the disease remains unclear for most patients. Localization methods for parathyroid tumors have improved and increased the interest for less invasive operative methods with shorter hospital stays and reduced costs for the patient. It is important to delineate when this really will imply progress and to use the new diagnostic methods in discussions of appropriate treatment strategies. It has also become evident that older pHPT patients especially could benefit from medical treatment of bone mineral deficit, and they may also need vitamin D or vitamin D analogues to prevent progress of the disease.
Summary: pHPT is a common disorder among postmenopausal women, in whom most commonly applied surgical treatment has proven markedly efficient. There is now increased interest to better understand possible causes of the disease and schedule the most efficient surgical and medical treatment and discuss possible prophylaxis.