Hypomagnesemia

Hypomagnesemia, also spelled hypomagnesaemia, is an electrolyte disturbance in which there is a low

level of magnesium in the blood. Normal magnesium levels are between 1.7–2.2 mg/dL with levels less
than 1.7 mg/dL (0.7 mmol/L) defining hypomagnesemia. Symptoms include tremor, nystagmus, seizures,
and cardiac arrest including torsade de pointes.

This article is about the blood condition. For the general condition, see Magnesium deficiency
(medicine). For the condition in plants, see Magnesium deficiency (plants).

Hypomagnesemia

Magnesium

Classification and external resources

Specialty Cardiology, endocrinology

ICD-10 E83.4

ICD-9-CM 275.2

DiseasesDB 6469

MedlinePlus 000315

eMedicine med/3382 emerg/274 ped/1122

Causes include alcoholism, starvation, diarrhea, increased urinary loss, and poor absorption from the
intestines. Hypomagnesemia is not necessarily magnesium deficiency. Hypomagnesemia can be present
without magnesium deficiency and vice versa. Specific electrocardiogram (ECG) changes may be seen.

For those with severe disease intravenous magnesium sulfate may be used.

The prefix hypo- means under (contrast with hyper-, meaning over). The root 'magnes' refers to
magnesium. The suffix of the word, -emia, means 'in the blood'.

Signs and symptoms

Deficiency of magnesium can cause tiredness, generalized weakness, muscle cramps, abnormal heart
rhythms, increased irritability of the nervous system with tremors, paresthesias, palpitations,
hypokalemia, hypoparathyroidism which might result in hypocalcemia, chondrocalcinosis, spasticity and
tetany, epileptic seizures, basal ganglia calcifications and in extreme and prolonged cases coma,
intellectual disability or death. Other symptoms that have been suggested to be associated with
hypomagnesemia are athetosis, jerking, nystagmus, and an extensor plantar reflex, confusion,
disorientation, hallucinations, depression, hypertension and fast heart rate.

People being treated on an intensive care unit who have a low magnesium level may have a higher risk
of requiring mechanical ventilation, and death.