Magnesium Flashcards
1
Q
What is the importance of magnesium in the body?
A
cofactor for enzymes to help with:
- energy metabolism
- nucleic acid synthesis
- shipping ions across cell membranes
2
Q
What are the causes of hypomagnesaemia?
A
- acute or chronic small bowel diarrhoea
- small bowel surgery
- malabsorption
- steatorrhoea (fat in faeces)
3
Q
What is the clinical importance of magnesium?
A
can treat:
- ventricular arrythmias
- acute severe asthma
- eclampsia
4
Q
Where is magnesium absorbed?
A
ileum or colon
5
Q
What controls the serum levels of magnesium?
A
the kidneys, they will excrete any excess
