[Magnesium in cardiology. A challenge for new studies].

Magnesium has been a controversial issue in cardiology for a long time. The following facts are now known: Magnesium plays a decisive role in the treatment of malign ventricular rhythm disturbances; this is especially true for Torsade pointes, which is connected with post-depolarisation and frequently causes sudden cardiac death. In the critical infarction phase intravenous magnesium therapy results in a reduction of malign rhythm disturbances and of the mortality rate. Magnesium plays a role in glycoside intolerance in patients with congestive heart failure. Magnesium deficiency is an important but rather neglected intermediary factor for the occurrence of (avoidable) side effects of renal, ototoxic and cardiac nature, emerge when using cytostatics, immunosuppressives and antibiotics. In several types of poisoning, but also in many other emergency situations with high levels of catecholamine (tetanus, phaeochromocytoma) magnesium can be used as an antidote. Clinically significant situations in which the role of magnesium has been either demonstrated or is still to be determined include diabetes (frequent deficiency demonstrated, significance for late complications under review), alcohol abuse (frequent deficiency of magnesium and its significance for rhythm disturbances demonstrated, correlations with other complications under review), tetanic syndrome, numerous psychiatric-neuromuscular disturbances, including generalized convulsive attacks, transitional syndromes, thromboembolic complications, lipometabolism disturbances, TIAS, PRINDS and loss of hearing.