label: visceral calciphylaxis
label_lc: visceral calciphylaxis
description: Visceral calciphylaxis is a rare, life-threatening, non-inflammatory vasculopathy disorder characterized by diffuse precipitation of calcium in viscera (mainly in the heart or lungs, but also in the stomach or kidneys) leading to fibrosis and thrombosis, which eventually cause necrotic ulcerations of the tissue. Patients may present with dyspnea, cough and respiratory failure or acute heart block and subsequent sudden cardiac death, depending on the affected organ. The disease mainly affects patients on dialysis or patients having undergone renal transplantation.