• J Emerg Med · May 2017

    Case Reports

    Magnesium: An Overlooked Electrolyte.

    • Jaya Kala and Ala Abudayyeh.
    • UT Health Science Center at Houston-McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas.
    • J Emerg Med. 2017 May 1; 52 (5): 741-743.

    BackgroundHypermagnesemia is rare and usually iatrogenic. Due to decreased renal function, older patients are generally more susceptible to hypermagnesemia than are younger patients. Because it is not one of the commonly assessed electrolytes in the blood work panel of patients, high levels are usually missed.Case ReportAn elderly gentleman with history of leukemia presented with complaints of shortness of breath and extreme weakness while walking. He was diagnosed with severe hypermagnesemia, but unfortunately succumbed to cardiorespiratory arrest. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Thorough history taking is crucial in evaluating weakness in elderly patients because the differential diagnosis is vast. Prompt consultation for emergent dialysis is critical to avoiding unfavorable outcomes due to electrolyte abnormalities.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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