Serum magnesium increases following severe hemorrhage in dogs blocked by verapamil treatment.
The opening of voltage sensitive calcium channels is an important event in the progression of irreversible shock, allowing the entry of toxic amounts of calcium (Ca2+) into the cells. Because intracellular magnesium (Mg2+) can efflux through these same channels, changes in serum Mg2+ may reflect the patency of these channels. In this study, electrolytes and selected serum enzymes were monitored in chronically instrumented conscious dogs to follow the progression of shock following a fixed volume hemorrhage. Plasma enzymes indicative of liver damage were elevated only in the terminal phase of hemorrhagic decompensation. A significant increase in serum Mg2+ was evident 60 min following hemorrhage, even though arterial pressure was still recovering. Serum Mg2+ continued to rise throughout the recovery and decompensating phases of shock. Verapamil treatment, which increased survival time and survival rate, significantly attenuated the changes in serum Mg2+ which normally followed hemorrhage. These results indicate that serum Mg2+ may be a useful indicator of the severity and the progression of hemorrhagic shock.
Department of Physiology, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858-4354.
R G
RG
Carroll
S G
SG
Iams
W H
WH
Pryor
E J
EJ
Allison
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D014700:Verapamil / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D014700:Verapamil; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D008274:Magnesium