Heart failure patients are prone to develop magnesium deficiency as a result of diuretic/digoxin therapy

ABSTRACT

To evaluate serum magnesium level in chronic heart failure [CIIF] patients receiving diuretic and digoxin therapy. Study Design: A case-control study. The study was conducted at the Basic Medical Sciences Institute [BMSI]. Jinnah ostgraduate Medical Centre [JPMC], Karachi with collaboration ofNational Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases [NICVD], Karachi from April to December 2003. Serum magnesium levels were evaluated in 65 subjects including 45 patients of heart failure admitted in the NICVD, Karachi. Twenty subjects were healthy, age and gender matched controls [group l]. Patients were divided into two groups [groups-II and III] according to treatment with diuretics or combination of diuretic and digoxin. Other electrolytes including sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium were also evaluated. Student't' test at ranging p-values of [<0.05. <0.01, <0.001] were used to determine the statistical significance. The cardiac failure patients showed lower [1.72 +/- 0.07 mg/dl] level of serum magnesium when compared with normal [0.53 +/- 0.19 mg/dl] control subjects and even more significantly lowered [1.65 +/- 0.09 mg/dl] in patients who were receiving diuretics and digoxin as compared to patients [1.80 +/- 0.10 mgidl] who were on diuretics only [p<0.001]. Patients with chronic heart failure were characteristically prone to develop magnesium deficiency along with other electrolytes [potassium. calcium, and chloride] due to administration of diuretics and digoxin