Hemodynamic effects of magnesium sulfate on the normal human heart

Because of its antiarrhythmic properties, 1 parenteral magnesium sulfate has been widely used in the last decades in treating several supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias 2,3 even in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Recently, intravenous magnesium sulfate has proved effective in treating arrhythmias associated with acute myocardial infarction 4 and long QT syndrome. 5 However, a systematic evaluation of its effects on cardiovascular hemodynamics has not been reported. Recent experimental 6 and clinical 7 observations have suggested that magnesium sulfate may exert a vasodilator effect on human coronary arteries. The present study investigates the effects of magnesium sulfate infusion on coronary and systemic hemodynamics in humans.