title: Intravenous magnesium sulfate in the management of acute respiratory failure complicating asthma.
abstract: IV magnesium sulfate was administered to a 72-year-old man with acute respiratory failure secondary to a severe asthma attack. The patient had clinically deteriorated despite aggressive standard treatment and evidenced acidosis and hypercarbia by arterial blood gas determination. An IV dose of 1 g MgSO4 produced rapid clinical and arterial blood gas improvement and enabled management of the patient without endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. This is the first reported case of the use of IV MgSO4 to prevent intubation and assisted ventilation in a patient with acute respiratory failure complicating asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19129.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Spivey
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skobeloff
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacubowitz
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D008278:Magnesium Sulfate