Hypomagnesemia: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Hypomagnesemia has no synonyms

Every organ in the body, especially the heart, muscles, and kidneys, needs the mineral magnesium. It also contributes to the makeup of teeth and bones. Magnesium is needed for many functions in the body, including the physical and chemical processes in the body that convert or use energy. When the level of magnesium in the body drops below normal, hypomagnesemia may develop.

Hypomagnesemia is basically a condition that develops when the amount of magnesium in your body is too low. Normal magnesium levels in the body are between 1.46–2.68 mg/dL, and when that drops to less than 1.46 mg/dLm hypomagnesemia develops.

There are various reasons why a patient might suffer from hypomagnesemia. The main reason includes a very low intake of foods that contain magnesium. Since magnesium is essential for completing several body functions, a minimum level of magnesium in the body is essential, failure to provide which can often lead to hypomagnesemia. Certain health conditions such as diabetes, some forms of kidney disease, and bowel disorders such as celiac disease may also cause hypomagnesemia. Additionally, medicines, such as proton pump inhibitors (medicines for reflux), antibiotics, diuretics, insulin, and some forms of chemotherapy, can also often lead to hypomagnesemia. Excessive alcohol usage has also often been proved to lead to the development of hypomagnesemia.

Treatment of hypomagnesemia depends on the degree of deficiency and the clinical effects. For patients who have just developed hypomagnesemia and have mild symptoms, oral magnesium replacement therapy is generally what doctors use to treat the condition. In such cases, magnesium pills are prescribed to the patient, and they have to take the pills in a dose prescribed by the doctor.

For patients who have moderate to life-threatening hypomagnesemia, magnesium is administered to them via intravenous injections. Once again, the number of injections needed depends upon the level of hypomagnesemia that the patient suffers from. The serum magnesium concentration should be monitored frequently during magnesium therapy, particularly when magnesium is given to patients with renal insufficiency or in repeated parenteral doses. In these patients, treatment is continued until a normal serum Mg concentration is achieved.

In patients who have sever symptomatic hypomagnesemia with seizures or other severe symptoms, 2 to 4 grams of magnesium sulfate IV is given over 5 to 10 minutes. When seizures persist, the dose may be repeated up to a total of 10 grams over the next 6 hours.

Additionally, in less severe cases of hypomagnesemia, gradual repletion may be achieved by administration of smaller parenteral doses over 3 to 5 days, until the serum magnesium concentration level is normal.

Common symptoms of hypomagnesemia include convulsions, sudden fatigue, muscle cramps or spasms, muscle weakness and numbness. If a patient has any of these symptoms, they have to go their health care provider who will then ask them to go through several tests including several blood tests, and ECG. Depending on the result of the tests, the patient will then be treated accordingly for hypomagnesemia.

People who do not show any symptoms of hypomagnesemia do not require any treatment. If the results from the blood tests come back as negative, then the patient does not require any treatment as well.

Treatment of hypomagnesemia does not have any known side effects.

Once the patient has been treated for hypomagnesemia, they need to follow certain rules and regulations to make sure that they do not develop hypomagnesemia again. Generally, after discharge, the patient will be provided with a diet plan that regulates how much magnesium intake is necessary for the patient each day. Sticking to this diet plan is essential.

Furthermore, certain health conditions such as diabetes and chronic diarrhea can also cause hypomagnesemia, so once the patient has been treated, they have to make sure that they properly manage their health so that they don’t develop any diseases that can cause hypomagnesemia again.

Limiting alcohol intake is absolutely essential. Alcohol can prevent your body from absorbing magnesium. Alcohol also makes your body release large amounts of magnesium through your urine. Patients who have been treated for hypomagnesemia need to limit their alcohol intake, so that they do not develop hypomagnesemia again.

In certain cases, doctors may provide patients with magnesium supplements which they have to take in doses prescribed by the doctor.

After having been treated for hypomagnesemia, patients generally recover as soon as they are discharged. There is no downtime for recovery.

Depending on the type of treatment used, the cost generally ranges from around Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 80,000

Hypomagnesemia is a condition that develops when magnesium levels in the body drop, so even if the patient has been treated for hypomagnesemia once, if their magnesium levels ddrop again, then they will develop hypomagnesemia again. So, the treatment is not a permanent one. But if the patient can ensure that they keep up their magnesium levels, then there is no risk for developing hypomagnesemia again.