Magnesium in ETOH withdrawal

Q: Severe alcohol withdrawal is usually associated with? (select one)

A) Hypomagnesemia 

B) Hypermagnesemia 

Answer: A

The three most common electrolyte imbalances in severe alcohol withdrawal are

• Hypokalemia 
• Hypomagnesemia and
• Hypophosphatemia 

Hypomagnesemia carries significant clinical predisposition with dysrhythmias, seizures, inhibition of response to thiamine.

#electrolytes

References:

1. Stasiukinene VP, Pilvinis VK, Reĭngardene DI. Gipomagniemiia u bol'nykh khronicheskim alkogolizmom vo vremia abstinentnogo sindroma [Hypomagnesemia in patients with chronic alcoholism in the course of alcohol withdrawal syndrome]. Ter Arkh. 2004;76(11):97-9. Russian. PMID: 15658551.

2. Elisaf M, Merkouropoulos M, Tsianos EV, Siamopoulos KC. Pathogenetic mechanisms of hypomagnesemia in alcoholic patients. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 1995 Dec;9(4):210-4. doi: 10.1016/S0946-672X(11)80026-X. PMID: 8808192.