Hypomagnesemia in Post-Operative Intensive Care Patients

Serum Magnesium Levels in Women with Breast Cancer in Benin City, Nigeria

“…Studies have shown that 46% of all critically ill cancer patients admitted to an ICU (intensive care unit) in a tertiary cancer center presented with hypomagnesemia and they concluded that the incidence of hypomagnesemia in critically ill cancer patients is high [4]. The incidence rises to 60 to 65% in all patients admitted into the intensive care units in which nutrition, diuretics, hypoalbuminemia, and aminoglycosides may play important roles [5][6][7].…”

Serum Magnesium in Critically Ill Patients and Its Correlation With Outcome

“…Guerin et al 9 had found no difference in mortality in ICU patients between hypomagnesaemic and normomagnesaemic groups (18% vs. 17%). Chernow et al, 11 Safavi et al and Broner et al did not find any difference between hypomagnesaemic and normomagnesaemic patients in mortality.…”

“…So early diagnosis and treatment of hypomagnesaemia in patients requiring ICU may be important and has been discussed several times. 8,11 Moreover, it is comprehensible that hypomagnesaemia is associated with severity of illness or increased mortality.…”

“…The prevalence of hypomagnesaemia has a wide range (11% to 61%) and considerable controversy exists regarding its effects on morbidity and mortality. 8,9 Hypomagnesaemia occur in 40% of hospitalised patients, 10 approximately 60% of post-operative patients, 11 65% of medical ICU patients 12 and upto 90% of surgical ICU patients. 13 Hypomagnesaemia has been implicated in the development of cardiovascular dysfunction and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome in ICU patients.…”