Magnesium is an important electrolyte. It is a key part of many reactions that occur in the human body, affecting cellular function, nerve conduction, and other needs. Normal serum magnesium levels are between 1.46 and 2.68 mg/dL. Hypomagnesemia is an electrolyte disturbance caused when there is a low level of serum magnesium (less than 1.46 mg/dL) in the blood. Hypomagnesemia can be attributed to chronic disease, alcohol use disorder, gastrointestinal losses, renal losses, and other conditions. Signs and symptoms of hypomagnesemia include anything from mild tremors and generalized weakness to cardiac ischemia and death.[1][2][3][4]
Hypomagnesemia can be secondary to decreased intake, as seen in:
It also can be secondary to the following medications:
Lastly, hypomagnesemia can be induced by gastrointestinal and/or renal losses, including but not limited to the following conditions:
The risk of hypomagnesemia depends on multiple characteristics in various healthcare settings, with the following being the latest incidences according to a report published by the Mayo Clinic:
There have been no recent studies identifying which age groups are at higher risk of hypomagnesemia.
Magnesium is a co-factor in many biochemical reactions. Magnesium has a direct effect on various other electrolytes, including sodium, calcium, and potassium. As described above, low levels of magnesium can occur secondary to renal and gastrointestinal losses.[5][6][7][8]
Magnesium homeostasis involves the kidney (primarily through the proximal tubule, the thick ascending loop of Henle, and the distal tubule), small bowel (primarily through the jejunum and ileum), and bone. Hypomagnesemia occurs when something, whether a drug or a disease condition, alters the homeostasis of magnesium.
Magnesium deficiency also can cause hypocalcemia, as the two are inter-related. Decreased magnesium causes impaired magnesium-dependent adenyl cyclase generation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which decreases the release of parathyroid hormone (PTH). In turn, calcium levels are decreased as well, as PTH regulates calcium levels.
Magnesium also affects the electrical activity of the myocardium and vascular tone, which is why patients with hypomagnesemia are at risk for cardiac arrhythmias.
Patients with symptomatic magnesium depletion can present in many ways. The major clinical manifestations include neuromuscular and cardiovascular manifestations and other electrolyte abnormalities. Specific signs and symptoms are outlined below.
Neuromuscular Manifestations
Cardiovascular Manifestations
Other Electrolyte and Hormone Abnormalities
It is recommended to check the following in a patient suspected of having hypomagnesemia:
Once hypomagnesemia is confirmed, the etiology usually can be obtained from the history. If unsure, the distinction between gastrointestinal losses and renal losses can be made by measuring the 24-hour urinary magnesium excretion. In addition, one can calculate the fractional excretion of magnesium (on a random urine specimen) with the following formula where U” and “P” refer to the urine and plasma concentrations of magnesium (Mg) and creatinine (Cr).
If the fractional excretion of magnesium is above 2% in someone with normal renal function, the hypomagnesemia is likely secondary to renal magnesium wasting from drugs such as diuretics, aminoglycosides, or cisplatin.
The treatment of patients with hypomagnesemia is based on a patient’s kidney function, the severity of their symptoms, and their hemodynamic stability. If a patient is hemodynamically unstable in an acute hospital setting, 1 to 2 grams of magnesium sulfate can be given in about 15 minutes. For symptomatic, severe hypomagnesemia in a stable patient, 1 to 2 grams of magnesium sulfate can be given over one hour. Non-emergent repletion of the adult patient is generally 4 to 8 grams of magnesium sulfate given slowly over 12 to 24 hours. In pediatric patients, the dose is 25 to 50 mg/kg (with a maximum of 2 grams).[9][10]
For an asymptomatic patient who is not hospitalized and can tolerate medications by mouth, sustained-release oral replacement should be tried first.
After repletion, serum electrolyte levels must be rechecked (whether in an inpatient or outpatient setting) to ensure that the treatment was effective. Although serum magnesium levels rise quickly with treatment, intracellular magnesium takes longer to replete. Thus, patients with normal renal function should try to continue magnesium repletion for two days after the level normalizes.
Use caution in repleting magnesium in patients with abnormal kidney function (defined as creatinine clearance less than 30 mL/min/1.73 m2). These patients are at risk of hypermagnesemia. Studies recommend reducing the magnesium dose by 50% and closely monitoring magnesium levels in these patients.
The underlying cause of persistent hypomagnesemia should be addressed and treated. For example, if a patient is consistently having low levels of the electrolyte due to renal losses, they may benefit from amiloride, a potassium- and magnesium-sparing diuretic.
Always check for other electrolyte abnormalities when suspecting or treating hypomagnesemia. Low levels of magnesium can, in turn, cause low levels of potassium and/or calcium as well. Furthermore, many other electrolyte and hormonal abnormalities can present with similar symptoms.
Prognosis depends on the underlying cause of the hypomagnesemia. Patients with hypomagnesemia from an identifiable cause have a good prognosis for complete recovery.
It is important to treat hypomagnesemia. Dangerously low levels of magnesium have the potential to cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias, such as torsades de pointes (polymorphous ventricular tachycardia with marked QT prolongation). Moreover, hypomagnesemia in patients with acute myocardial infarction puts them at higher risk of ventricular arrhythmias within the first 24 hours.
Consider consulting a nephrologist if suspecting an inherited tubular disorder or in a patient in which magnesium levels are difficult to regulate. If a patient has a cardiac arrhythmia from magnesium deficiency, cardiology can be consulted, and the patient should be monitored closely on a telemetry floor or critical care unit.
Patients with hypomagnesemia should be encouraged to eat the following foods:
Magnesium deficiency is commonly encountered in clinical practice. The key is to find the primary cause. Asymptomatic patients can be managed with supplements prescribed as outpatients. Symptomatic patients need admission and parenteral magnesium. The prognosis for most patients with a reversible cause is excellent.
Clinicians, nurses, and pharmacists must coordinate care to find a rapid resolution to magnesium deficiency. This often involves education of the patient, family, and a team approach from the health practitioners.
[1] | Andreozzi F,Cuminetti G,Karmali R,Kamgang P, Electrolyte Disorders as Triggers for Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. European journal of case reports in internal medicine. 2018; [PubMed PMID: 30756021] |
[2] | Kurstjens S,Bouras H,Overmars-Bos C,Kebieche M,Bindels RJM,Hoenderop JGJ,de Baaij JHF, Diabetes-induced hypomagnesemia is not modulated by metformin treatment in mice. Scientific reports. 2019 Feb 11; [PubMed PMID: 30742025] |
[3] | Ranathunge TA,Karunaratne DGGP,Rajapakse RMG,Watkins DL, Doxorubicin Loaded Magnesium Oxide Nanoflakes as pH Dependent Carriers for Simultaneous Treatment of Cancer and Hypomagnesemia. Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland). 2019 Feb 6; [PubMed PMID: 30736270] |
[4] | Brophy C,Woods R,Murphy MS,Sheahan P, Perioperative magnesium levels in total thyroidectomy and relationship to hypocalcemia. Head [PubMed PMID: 30628752] |
[5] | Kim E, Pathogenesis and treatment of electrolyte problems post transplant. Current opinion in pediatrics. 2018 Dec 21; [PubMed PMID: 30585865] |
[6] | Fulchiero R,Seo-Mayer P, Bartter Syndrome and Gitelman Syndrome. Pediatric clinics of North America. 2019 Feb; [PubMed PMID: 30454738] |
[7] | Van Laecke S, Hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia. Acta clinica Belgica. 2018 Sep 17; [PubMed PMID: 30220246] |
[8] | Aubry E,Friedli N,Schuetz P,Stanga Z, Refeeding syndrome in the frail elderly population: prevention, diagnosis and management. Clinical and experimental gastroenterology. 2018; [PubMed PMID: 30022846] |
[9] | Hansen BA,Bruserud Ø, Hypomagnesemia in critically ill patients. Journal of intensive care. 2018; [PubMed PMID: 29610664] |
[10] | Greco DS, Endocrine causes of calcium disorders. Topics in companion animal medicine. 2012 Nov; [PubMed PMID: 23415381] |