Fast Five Quiz: Test Yourself on Various Nutritional Deficiencies

Magnesium is critically important in maintaining normal cell function, and symptomatic magnesium depletion is often associated with multiple biochemical abnormalities, including hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, and metabolic acidosis. As a result, hypomagnesemia is sometimes difficult to attribute solely to specific clinical manifestations.

The organ systems commonly affected by magnesium deficiency are the cardiovascular system and the central and peripheral nervous systems. The skeletal, hematologic, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary systems are affected less often.

Cardiovascular manifestations may include the following electrocardiographic abnormalities and arrhythmias:

• Nonspecific T-wave changes: U waves

• Prolonged QT and QU interval

• Repolarization alternans

• Premature ventricular contractions: monomorphic ventricular tachycardia

• Torsade de pointes

• Ventricular fibrillation

• Enhanced digitalis toxicity

For more on magnesium deficiency, read here.

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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Romesh Khardori. Fast Five Quiz: Test Yourself on Various Nutritional Deficiencies - Medscape - Apr 10, 2017.