DO CORONARY SINUS MAGNESIUM LEVELS REALLY CHANGE IN CORONARY SURGERY PATIENTS PERIOPERATIVELY

The role of the divalent cation magnesium in cardiovascular function h as been receiving increasing attention. Hypomagnesemia is often report ed to occur preoperatively and following cardiac surgery. Hypomagnesem ia was also shown to be associated with cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death from ischemic heart disease. As a result of the describ ed antiarrhythmic effects, intravenous magnesium supplementation has b een recommended during myocardial infarction as well as after coronary artery bypass graft operations. The aim of this study was to determin e the status and the changes of magnesium levels in a representative r andom test of elective coronary patients. Arterial, central venous and coronary sinus blood magnesium levels were taken before, during and a fter coronary bypass graft operations using cardiopulmonary bypass (CP B). As a control to the general shifts of electrolytes also the sodium , potassium and phosphate values are shown. The ''common occurence'' o f pre-, intra- and postoperative hypomagnesemia in coronary bypass pat ients could not be confirmed in our patients. On the contrary it was f ound a significant increase (p < 0.05) of magnesium levels after going on cardiopulmonary bypass. Magnesium levels never fell below normal m agnesium range (0.7 - 1.1 mmol / 1) perioperatively. The trends in all three compartments were comparable.