Open AccessMagnesium infusion reduces the incidence of arrhythmias in acute myocardial infarction. A double‐blind placebo‐controlled study
Author(s) -
Rasmussen H. S.,
Suenson M.,
Mcnair P.,
Nørregård P.,
Balslev S.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960100610
Subject(s) - medicine , hypermagnesemia , magnesium , placebo , myocardial infarction , incidence (geometry) , anesthesia , hypomagnesemia , cardiology , materials science , alternative medicine , physics , pathology , optics , metallurgy
Abstract In a double‐blind placebo‐controlled study, 130 patients with verified acute myocardial infarction were given magnesium or placebo treatment intravenously immediately upon admission to hospital. The incidence of arrhythmias requiring treatment during the initial week of hospitalization was registered. Serum magnesium concentrations were increased from 0.7 mmol/1 to 1.3 mmol/1 as a result of the magnesium infusions. This pharmacologically induced hypermagnesemia resulted in a reduction in the incidence of arrhythmias from 47 % in the placebo group to 21 % in the magnesium group (p=0.003). In the magnesium‐treated patients, increments in serum concentrations of magnesium and potassium correlated positively (r=0.47, p<0.001). It is concluded that magnesium infusion in the postinfarct period reduces the incidence of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, and possible pathophysiological mechanisms involved are discussed.