Metabolic and clinical effects of oral magnesium supplementation in furosemide-treated patients with severe congestive heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Magnesium depletion and hypomagnesemia are common among furosemide-treated patients with chronic congestive heart failure.


OBJECTIVE
This investigation evaluated clinical and metabolic effects of oral magnesium supplementation.


METHODS
Ten patients with severe congestive heart failure maintained on high dose furosemide (> or = 80 mg/day) received a supplement of oral magnesium citrate 300 mg/daily for 30 days. Clinical parameters were followed, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell magnesium and zinc content, serum and urine magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, and creatinine were assessed.


RESULTS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell magnesium content and serum potassium rose significantly at the end of the study (2.09 +/- 1.89 to 3.99 +/- 2.26 micrograms/mg cell protein, p < 0.05, and 4.17 +/- 0.38 to 4.39 +/- 0.27 mEq/l, p < 0.05, respectively), while the other parameters remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
In some of these patients, oral magnesium supplementation is effective in achieving substantial increments in intracellular magnesium and serum potassium which, in turn, may have cardioprotective effects.
Cohen
N
N
Department of Internal Medicine F, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
Alon
I
I
Almoznino-Sarafian
D
D
Zaidenstein
R
R
Weissgarten
J
J
Gorelik
O
O
Berman
S
S
Modai
D
D
Golik
A
A
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004232:Diuretics; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D019343:Citric Acid; D005665:Furosemide; C110422:magnesium citrate