Hypomagnesaemia
Hypomagnesaemia is a low magnesium level in the blood.
Classification of hypomagnesaemia:
Hypomagnesaemia is defined as less than 0.7mmol/L of serum magnesium.
- Mild
- 0.5 to 0.7mmol/L serum magnesium.
- Clinical signs
- no symptoms or non-specific symptoms, such as lethargy, muscle cramps, or muscle weakness
- Severe
- Less than 0.5mmol/L serum magnesium.
- Clinical signs
- severe neurologic symptoms such as nystagmus, tetany, seizures, and cardiac arrhythmias
Hypomagnesaemia can occur in patients due to:
- decreased intake of magnesium
- intestinal loss such as diarrhoea
- medication side effects - for example aminoglycosides, loop diuretics, proton pump inhibitors, tacrolimus, thiazide diuretics
- renal loss such as metabolic alkalosis
- transcellular shift
Reference:
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