Magnesium is a mineral essential for the body to work, but too much levels of magnesium in the blood can be harmful. Hypermagnesemia is a condition of too much level of magnesium in the blood that provokes breathing problems and heart arrhythmia. Because the kidneys regulate the concentration of magnesium in the blood, hypermagnesemia may occur to people with kidney disorders as well as to individuals taking medications with high magnesium levels such as antacids.
Hypermagnesemia symptoms include muscle weakness and generalized weakness, hypertension, decreased reflexes, drowsiness, decreased concentration and alertness, CNS depression, coma, and difficulty in breathing or respiratory paralysis.
The primary cause of the condition is kidney failure provoking the increased levels of magnesium in the blood. Other causes of the condition include excessive intake of antacids of laxatives, intravenous magnesium therapy, and accidental poisoning of Epson salt. Some causes related to the condition include excessive intake or magnesium, lithium therapy, Addison disease, hypothyroidism, milk alkali syndrome, depression, and familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia. Most people may not have symptoms of Hypermagnesemia unless the levels of magnesium in their blood are extremely elevated. You may experience sudden muscle weakness, decreased reflexes, and confusion.
If test results indicate that you have high levels of magnesium in the blood, you have to follow your doctor’s instructions in lowering your magnesium level in the blood. Of your blood pressure in too high, your doctor may prescribe a medication to lower it at safe range. If you have been diagnosed with Hypermagnesemia, you have to take all of your medications as prescribed by your healthcare provided. Keep laxatives and antacids at bay if your kidneys are not functioning the way they should.
Constipation also increases your risks of Hypermagnesemia, so it’s important to keep your bowels moving regularly. Eat lots of food high in fiber to make your bowels move efficiently. If you have bowel issues, your doctor may prescribe drugs to soften your stool and to prevent constipation. Also, you have to drinks lots of fluid every day to decrease your risk for dehydration that leads to constipation.
Drugs that can be used to treat the condition include calcium and hemodialysis. Calcium prescribed by doctors in order to decrease the magnesium levels in your blood and dialysis treatment is for those people with the condition and kidney disorder at the same time. You must seek for medical help if nausea hinders in your natural ability to eat, or if unrelieved with prescribed medication. People who have been vomiting for more than five times within 24 hours require medical help.
In general, symptoms of Hypermagnesemia include lethargy, headache, nausea, drowsiness, and diminished tendon reflexes. Severe cases include symptoms like confusion, paralysis, muscle weakness stumbling walk, respiratory depression, and low blood pressure.
High levels of magnesium in the blood can provoke irregular heartbeat that progresses to respiratory and cardiac arrest if not given proper medical treatment right away. Calcium and dialysis are the most common treatment for the condition. Also, patients may require cardiac and respiratory support as well.
