Chronic Alcoholism and the Danger of Profound Hypomagnesemia

An overview of diagnosis and management of drug-induced hypomagnesemia

Magnesium (Mg) is commonly addressed as the "forgotten ion" in medicine. Nonetheless, hypomagnesemia should be suspected in clinical practice in patients with relevant symptomatology and also be considered a predisposing factor for the development of other electrolyte disturbances. Furthermore, chronic hypomagnesemia has been associated with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Hypomagnesemia as a consequence of drug therapy is relatively common, with the list of drugs inducing low serum Mg levels expanding. Culprit medications linked to hypomagnesemia include antibiotics (e.g. aminoglycosides, amphotericin B), diuretics, antineoplastic drugs (cisplatin and cetuximab), calcineurin inhibitors, and proton pump inhibitors. In recent years, the mechanisms of drug-induced hypomagnesemia have been unraveled through the discovery of key Mg transporters in the gut and kidney. This narrative review of available literature focuses on the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying drug-induced hypomagnesemia in order to increase the insight of clinicians toward early diagnosis and effective management.

The proarrhythmic conundrum of alcohol intake

The arrhythmogenic potential of alcohol consumption that leads to cardiac arrhythmia development includes the induction of both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, with atrial fibrillation (AF) being the commonest alcohol-related arrhythmia, even with low/moderate alcohol consumption. Arrhythmias occur both with acute and chronic alcohol use. The "Holiday Heart Syndrome" relates to the occurrence of AF, most commonly following weekend or public holiday binge drinking; however, other arrhythmias may also occur, including other supraventricular arrhythmias, and occasionally even frequent ventricular premature beats and a rare occurrence of ventricular tachycardia. Arrhythmias in individuals with alcohol use disorder, in addition to AF, may comprise ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) that may be potentially fatal leading to cardiac arrest. The effects of alcohol on triggering VAs appear to be dose-dependent, observed more commonly in heavy drinkers, both in healthy individuals and patients with underlying structural heart disease, including ischemic heart disease and alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Men appear to be affected at higher dosages of alcohol, while women can suffer from arrhythmias at lower dosages. On the other hand, low to moderate consumption of alcohol may confer some protection from serious VAs and cardiac arrest (J- or U-curve phenomenon); however, abstinence is the optimal strategy. These issues as they relate to alcohol-induced proarrhythmia are herein reviewed, with the large studies and meta-analyses tabulated and the arrhythmogenic mechanisms pictorially illustrated.