title: Magnesium adjunctive therapy in atrial arrhythmias.
abstract: Magnesium (Mg) is an important intracellular ion with cardiac metabolism and electrophysiologic properties. A large percentage of patients with arrhythmias have an intracellular Mg deficiency, which is out of line with serum Mg concentrations, and this may explain the rationale for Mg's benefits as an atrial antiarrhythmic agent. A current limitation of antiarrhythmic therapy is that the potential for cardiac risk offsets some of the benefits of therapy. Mg enhances the balance of benefits to harms by enhancing atrial antiarrhythmic efficacy and reducing antiarrhythmic proarrhythmia potential as well as providing direct antiarrhythmic efficacy when used as monotherapy in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery.
authors.affiliation: The Henry Low Heart Center, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Harsha V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Ganga
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noyes
authors.forename: Charles Michael
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kluger
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013612:Tachycardia, Ectopic Atrial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D008274:Magnesium
keywords: adjunctive; atrial fibrillation; magnesium