title: Effect of isoproterenol on serum potassium and magnesium.
abstract: Some ventricular arrhythmias can be related to a decrease in the level of potassium (K) and/or magnesium (Mg). Because adrenergic stimulation decreases serum K+ and Mg++, we decided to investigate the effects of a beta-receptor agonist, isoproterenol, on serum K+ and Mg++, and their consequences on the induction of tachycardia. Programmed atrial and ventricular stimulation was performed in 95 patients before and during infusion of 1.6 micrograms.ml-1 of isoproterenol. During isoproterenol infusion, 61 patients had no inducible tachycardias (group I) and 34 had inducible sustained tachycardias (group II): 16 of them (group IIA) had inducible sustained supraventricular tachyarrhythmias and 18 (group IIB) had inducible sustained ventricular tachycardia. Serum K+ and Mg++ were measured at the end of stimulation in the control state and during isoproterenol infusion. The basal values in groups I and II did not differ (3.8 +/- 0.38 vs 3.86 +/- 0.39 mEq.l-1 for K+, and 20.18 +/- 2.68 vs 19.83 +/- 1.63 mg.l-1 for Mg++). Isoproterenol infusion induced a significant (P < 0.001) hypokalaemia in all groups and a decrease in serum Mg in group II: there was a significant decrease in serum Mg++ (P < 0.05) in group IIA (19.55 +/- 1.7 vs 20.4 +/- 4.6). The decrease in serum Mg++ in group IIB (18.9 +/- 1.55 vs 19.32 +/- 1.63) was not significant. However the serum Mg++ level during isoproterenol infusion was significantly lower in group IIB than in group I. In conclusion, the infusion of isoproterenol was responsible for a significant hypokalaemia, which did not explain the induction of tachycardia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Cardiology A-B, Chu de Brabois, Vandoeuvre, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brembilla-Perrot
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terrier de la Chaise
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: le Van
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beurrier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005117:Cardiac Complexes, Premature / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium; D007545:Isoproterenol; D011188:Potassium