A study of serum magnesium levels in acute myocardial infarction and its association with clinical outcome

Background: Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of mortality, morbidity, and increased health-care cost. Magnesium has been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its complications. Magnesium ions are considered essential for the maintenance of functional integrity of myocardium. The serum magnesium concentration was found to have great significance in AMI. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the prognostic value of serum magnesium in AMI. Aim and Objectives: The aim of the study was (1) to evaluate serum magnesium levels in patients of AMI on 1st and 7th day post-myocardial infarction and (2) to evaluate validity of serum magnesium as prognostic indicator of Ami. Materials and Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted in the Medicine Department, Guru Nanak Dev Hospital attached to Govt. Medical College, Amritsar. A total of 40 patients of AMI were enrolled in this study. Serum magnesium levels were done for all the patients and its correlation with clinical outcome was observed. Results: On day 1, mean serum magnesium levels in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were 1.638 ± 0.19 whereas mean serum magnesium levels in patients with Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were 2.315 ± 0.321. Mean serum magnesium levels in patients with arrhythmias were 1.73 ± 0.35 on day 1 and 2.14 ± 0.25 on day 7 (P < 0.05). Mean serum magnesium levels at day 1 in patients having mortality are 1.452 ± 0.078 as compared to 2.105 ± 0.399 in rest of surviving patients. It was inferred from this study that patients with AMI with low serum magnesium levels are more prone to develop complications such as arrhythmias and death as compared to patients of AMI with normal serum magnesium levels. Conclusion: Magnesium is an underestimated cation and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of AMI and its complications. Patients of AMI with low serum magnesium levels are found to be more prone to develop arrhythmias as compared to those with normal serum magnesium levels. Hence, it can be concluded that measurement of serum magnesium level is of prognostic significance in AMI.