Table 4.

Clinical symptoms and signs of magnesium deficiency.

(i) Clinical signs are usually totally absent (chronic latent intracellular deficit)

(ii) Neuromuscular: weakness; tremor; muscle fasciculation; dysphagia; positive Chvostek's sign (facial twitching as a reaction to facial nerve tapping); positive Trousseau's sign (application of a pressure cuff to transiently occlude the brachial artery resulting in spasm of muscles of the hand and forearm)

(iii) Cardiac: arrhythmias and ECG changes

(iv) Central nervous system: depression, agitation, psychosis, nystagmus, and seizures