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Previous Volume 337:860-861 September 18, 1997 Number 12 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: In the review of atrial arrhythmias after cardiac surgery by Ommen et al. (May 15 issue),¹ no mention is made of the use of parenteral magnesium sulfate. Hypomagnesemia is frequent after diuresis in patients who have undergone cardiopulmonary bypass, and it is a risk factor for atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Intravenous magnesium therapy has much to recommend it, because it avoids the proarrhythmic effects associated with most of the drugs cited in the article. Given on its own, magnesium reduces ventricular rates rapidly.² This effect is thought to be due both to direct action on the atrioventricular . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Gries, A., Bode, C., Gross, S., Peter, K., Bohrer, H., Martin, E. (1999). The Effect of Intravenously Administered Magnesium on Platelet Function in Patients After Cardiac Surgery. Anesth. Analg. 88: 1213-1213 [Abstract] [Full Text]