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Intravenous Magnesium for Cardiac Arrhythmias in Humans: A Role?

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Magnesium in Human Health and Disease

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

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Abstract

Magnesium is an important intracellular ion and a cofactor for many enzymes involved in cell function of many body systems, including cardiovascular, metabolic, and nervous system. Magnesium has a wide range of physiological effects on the heart and circulatory system including calcium antagonism at both L- and T-type calcium channels, endothelial cell function and secretion, and regulation of energy transfer, and in pharmacological doses, magnesium decreases outward potassium current intensity resulting in membrane stabilization and acts as an indirect antagonist of digitalis at the sarcolemma Na-K-ATPase pump [1–3].

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Correspondence to Kwok M. Ho MPH, Ph.D., FRCP, FANZCA, FCICM .

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Ho, K.M. (2013). Intravenous Magnesium for Cardiac Arrhythmias in Humans: A Role?. In: Watson, R., Preedy, V., Zibadi, S. (eds) Magnesium in Human Health and Disease. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-044-1_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-044-1_15

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

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