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Canadian Journal of Surgery logoLink to Canadian Journal of Surgery
. 1996 Oct;39(5):397–400.

Magnesium in cardioplegia: Is it necessary?

Tooraj Shakerinia 1, Idris M Ali 1,, John AP Sullivan 1
PMCID: PMC3949961  PMID: 8857989

Abstract

Objective

To study the effectiveness of magnesium in cardioplegic solution in preventing postoperative arrhythmias and perioperative ischemia.

Design

Randomized, control study.

Setting

The cardiovascular surgery division of a major referral centre for the maritime provinces of Canada.

Patients

Fifty patients scheduled to undergo coronary artery bypass who had a normal ejection fraction, normal preoperative serum magnesium level and no history of atrial or ventricular arrhythmia were randomized into two groups of 25 patients. One group received magnesium sulfate (15 mmol/L) in the cardioplegic solution (group 1), the other (control) group did not receive magnesium sulfate in the cardioplegic solution (group 2).

Intervention

Coronary artery bypass grafting during which myocardial protection was provided by intermittent cold blood cardioplegia.

Outcome Measures

Postoperative serum magnesium levels, cardiac-related death, infarction and arrhythmias.

Results

All group 2 patients had a lower postoperative serum magnesium level than group 1 patients. There were no cardiac-related deaths in either group. More group 2 patients had ischemic electrocardiographic changes than group 1 patients (p < 0.03). Non-Q-wave myocardial infarction occurred in two patients (one in each group). Eight patients in group 2 had atrial fibrillation compared with five patients in group 1. Ventricular ectopia occurred significantly (p < 0.01) more frequently in group 2 than in group 1.

Conclusion

The addition of magnesium to the cardioplegic solution is beneficial in reducing the incidence of perioperative ischemia and ventricular arrhythmia in patients who undergo coronary bypass grafting.

Full Text

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