Extreme hypermagnesemia caused by an overdose of magnesium-containing cathartics.
We describe a patient who survived a peak serum magnesium level of 9.5 mmol/L (23.0 mg/dL) after an oral cathartic overdose. The patient presented in coma but regained full consciousness over the next six hours with supportive therapy. His serum magnesium had returned to near-normal levels by the following morning at the time of his hospital discharge. This case represents an unprecedented extent of ingestion-related hypermagnesemia in a surviving patient, given that serum levels of more than 8 mmol/L are frequently associated with death from cardiac arrest.
Gerard
S K
SK
Department of Laboratory Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, California 94110.
Hernandez
C
C
Khayam-Bashi
H
H
D002400:Cathartics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002951:Citrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019343:Citric Acid; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D002400:Cathartics; D002951:Citrates; D019343:Citric Acid; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate; D008274:Magnesium