South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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Seventy-four patients were admitted after cardiac resuscitation to a general intensive care unit; 19, of whom 14 were neurologically normal, were utimately discharged from hospital. It is suggested that elderly patients, those who have had prolonged resuscitation, and patients with a combination of hypothermia, coma, dilated pupils, and apnoea have a very poor prognosis. It is doubtful whether such patients benefit from admission to an intensive care unit.
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The effect of oral magnesium chloride therapy on the QTc and QUc intervals of the electrocardiogram.
The effect of magnesium, given orally as enteric-coated magnesium chloride tablets, on the ECG of 25 randomly selected patients was investigated. Each patient, who served as his own control, was given 4--6 tablets, each containing 0,5 g MgCl26H2O, at night for periods varying from 6 weeks to 2 years. Findings included (i) a statistically significant decrease in OTc and QUc intervals; (ii) a progressive shortening of QTc and QUc intervals with continuing therapy; (iii) reversion to normal of ECG abnormalities, especially of ST segments and T waves.