Serum magnesium in myocardial ischemia and acute infarction

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the hypothesis of hypomagnesaemia as a risk factor for arrhythmias in acute myocardial infarction, and its possible correlation to the development of myocardial ischemia, this study was conducted on 60 patients classified into two groups. Group I included 30 patients [15 males and 15 females] having ischemic heart disease, and group II comprised 30 patients [19 males and 11 females] who had acute myocardial infarction. Thirty healthy subjects were included as controls, colorimetric determination of serum magnesium levels had been done for all patients and controls. The results showed insignificant difference [p < 0.05] between the ischemic heart group [mean 1.87 +/- 0.61 mg/dl] and the controls [mean 1.85 +/- 0.73 mg/dl]. A highly significant difference [P < 0.001] was found between serum magnesium level in the first 24 hrs. among the infarction group [mean 1.42 +/- 0.84 mg/dl] and the controls, however, insignificant difference was found between both groups after the first 24 hrs. following infarction. A significant difference [P < 0.05] was found between magnesium level in cases who developed arrhythmias [mean 1.16 +/- 0.32 mg/dl] and those who escaped this complication [mean 1.54 =/- 0.41 mgldl] among the infarction group. Insignificant difference was found between males and females, and also between patients above 50 years old and those below this age [P < 0.05] among all groups studied. It may be suggested that, all patients with acute myocardial infarction or severe coronary spasm should be assayed for serum magnesium level, and treatment with i.v. magnesium, if needed, must be started immediately to avoid the development of fatal arrhythmias or heart failure