SERUM MAGNESIUM, SERUM POTASSIUM AND INCIDENCE OF ARRHYTHMIAS IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

In patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) serum magnesium concentration (MGK) and serum potassium concentration (KK) were analysed during the first 48 hours after AMI. The patients rhythm was continuously recorded. In a subgroup of 70 patients a signal averaging-ECG was performed. 4.5% of the patients had a low, 55.7% a normal and 39.8% a high MGK. 14.8 % of the patients had a low, 80. 1 % a normal and 5.1 % a high KK. Ventricular arrhythmias greater-than-or-equal-to Lown IV b were found in 25 % of the patients with low MGK, in 38.8% with normal and in 52.9% with high MGK. 50% of the patients with low, 62.2% with normal and 61.3% with high MGK had late potentials. There was no relation between hypopmagnaesemia and ventricular arrhythmias as between hypomagnaesemia and late potentials. Thus, hypomagnaesemia in AMI patients is rare and does not correlate with ventricular arrhythmia or delayed ventricular potentials.