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When the MAGIC stops: magnesium in acute coronary syndromes — a lesson in medical humility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Shannon Patrick  and
Mel Herbert
Shannon Patrick*
Affiliation:
Olive View–UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, Calif
Mel Herbert
Affiliation:
KECK USC School of Medicine, LAC+USC Medical Center, Los Angles, Calif
*
[email protected]

Abstract

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There has been much debate as to whether magnesium, a well-tolerated, readily available and cheap therapy, should be used to treat patients with suspected myocardial infarction. Despite promising results from animal studies and small clinical trials conducted in the 1980s, two large recent trials have concluded that the once phenomenal treatment is ineffective. The story of magnesium for acute myocardial infarction is a lesson in medical humility.

Keywords

myocardial infarctiontherapymagnesium
Type
Medical Mythology • Mythes médicaux
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , March 2004 , pp. 123 - 125
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2004

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