To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: AHA: Magnesium Shows Promise for Thrombolysis-ineligible Cardiac Patients URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/20DB56.htm Doctor's Guide November 14, 2001
By Jill Stein Special to DG News
ANAHEIM, CA -- November 14, 2001 -- New data identify a possible role for magnesium supplementation in acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients who are not suitable candidates for thrombolytic therapy.
The results, based on a long-term follow-up of thrombolysis-ineligible patients who were treated with magnesium supplements, were reported yesterday (Nov. 13) at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA), in Anaheim, California.
An earlier prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that a 22 g infusion of intravenous magnesium sulfate given over 48 hours to 194 consecutive acute MI patients who were deemed ineligible for thrombolysis significantly decreased the in-hospital mortality rate from 7 percent to 2 percent compared to isotonic glucose as placebo.
Dr. Michael Schechter at the Sheba Medical Center, in Tel Aviv, Israel, and co-workers, who conducted the earlier investigation, decided to evaluate the long-term survival and cardiac function of the same study population.
Patients received 22 g of magnesium sulfate dissolved in 500 mL of isotonic glucose, or 500 mL of isotonic glucose as placebo during the first 48 hours.
All patients who survived the last year of follow-up underwent rest radionuclide ventriculography tests for left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, conducted by a cardiologist blinded to the study medication and to patients' clinical course.
The two groups were matched for baseline risk factors, infarct location, and in-hospital and long-term therapy.
Results showed that all-cause and cardiac 4.8-year mortality rates were significantly lower in the magnesium compared to the placebo group (18 versus 33 patients and 12 versus 30 patients).
After 8.7 years, 70 (38 percent) of 183 patients died; 32 (36 percent) receiving magnesium and 38 (41 percent) receiving placebo. Cardiac death was diagnosed in 55 patients (22 magnesium and 33 placebo patients) and non-cardiac death in 15 patients (10 magnesium and five placebo patients).
Dr. Schechter said the data suggest that the beneficial effects of intravenous magnesium therapy appear to last at least 8.7 years after acute treatment, concomitant with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.