From the Guidelines
The skeletal system is not directly affected by hypomagnesemia.
Systems Affected by Hypomagnesemia
- Cardiovascular system: Hypomagnesemia is associated with more frequent ventricular arrhythmias, likely caused by diuresis, and can lead to prolonged PR, QRS, and QT intervals, as well as atrioventricular nodal conduction block, bradycardia, hypotension, and cardiac arrest 1.
- Nervous system: Magnesium plays an important role in stabilizing excitable membranes, and its deficiency can lead to poor prognosis in cardiac arrest patients 1.
Causes and Associations of Hypomagnesemia
- Hypomagnesemia usually results from decreased absorption or increased loss of magnesium from either the kidneys or intestines (diarrhea) 1.
- Alterations in thyroid hormone function, certain medications (eg, pentamidine, diuretics, alcohol), and malnourishment can also induce hypomagnesemia 1.
Treatment and Prognosis
- The use of magnesium in cardiac arrest was supported by case series, but randomized controlled trials (RCTs) found no benefit from the use of magnesium in cardiac arrest 1.
- Administration of magnesium bolus or infusion can resolve torsades de pointes (TdP) in situations when it was preceded by both normal levels and hypomagnesemia 1.
From the Research
Systems Affected by Hypomagnesemia
- Cardiovascular system: affected by hypomagnesemia, as it can lead to ventricular arrhythmia and other cardiovascular symptoms 2, 3, 4
- Nervous system: affected by hypomagnesemia, as it can lead to neurological symptoms 4, 5
- Renal system: affected by hypomagnesemia, as it can lead to renal magnesium wasting and other renal disorders 2, 3, 6
- Muscular system: affected by hypomagnesemia, as magnesium is a smooth muscle relaxant and can lead to muscle symptoms 5
Systems Not Affected by Hypomagnesemia
There is no clear evidence to suggest that any system is completely unaffected by hypomagnesemia. However, the provided studies do not mention the following systems as being directly affected by hypomagnesemia:
- Skeletal system: not directly mentioned as being affected by hypomagnesemia in the provided studies
- Immune system: not directly mentioned as being affected by hypomagnesemia in the provided studies
- Endocrine system: not directly mentioned as being affected by hypomagnesemia in the provided studies, although magnesium does play a role in various enzyme systems and can affect hormone regulation 5
Key Findings
- Hypomagnesemia can lead to a range of symptoms and disorders, including cardiovascular, neurological, and muscular symptoms 2, 3, 4, 5
- Renal magnesium handling plays a crucial role in maintaining magnesium balance in the body 2, 3, 6
- Magnesium deficiency and hypomagnesemia can have significant clinical implications and may be under-recognized and underappreciated in clinical practice 6, 5