Effectiveness of oral magnesium in a patient with ventricular tachycardia due to hypomagnesemia.

A 12-year-old girl with occasional symptoms of chest discomfort was diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia on cardiac evaluation. No evidence of organic heart disease was apparent, but a laboratory evaluation revealed hypomagnesemia. Ventricular tachycardia disappeared after treatment with 200 mg/day of oral magnesium hydroxide, and no further chest discomfort was reported. In addition to routine cardiac evaluation for arrhythmia, serum magnesium levels should be checked in patients with suspected idiopathic benign ventricular tachycardia. Treatment with oral magnesium is a physiologic therapy and should be considered for patients with ventricular tachycardia due to hypomagnesemia.