Hypermagnesemia Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Speaker: Sarah from RegisterNurseRN.com
• Focus: Causes, signs/symptoms, and nursing interventions for hypermagnesemia
• Also covers highlights needed for NCLEX and nursing exams
• Encouragement to take a quiz on the website to differentiate between hypo- and hypermagnesemia

Understanding Hypermagnesemia

• "Hyper" means excessive; "magnes" refers to magnesium; "emia" means blood
• Definition: High magnesium levels in the blood
• Normal magnesium levels: 1.6 to 2.6 mg/dL
• Hypermagnesemia: Levels greater than 2.6 mg/dL

Role of Magnesium in the Body

• Transfers and stores energy in cells
• Regulates parathyroid hormone, affecting calcium levels
• Metabolizes carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• Regulates blood pressure
• Absorption: Small intestine
• Excretion: Kidneys

Causes of Hypermagnesemia

• M: Magnesium-containing antacids and laxatives, especially in renal failure patients
• A: Addison's disease (adrenal insufficiency)
• G: Glomerular filtration insufficiency (renal failure)
  • Kidneys conserve too much magnesium

Signs and Symptoms

• Lethargic: Tiredness and weakness
• Severe cases show symptoms, milder cases are asymptomatic
• L: Lethargy and profound weakness
• E: EKG changes (prolonged PR, QT interval, wide QRS)
• T: Tendon reflexes diminished/absent
• H: Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• A: Arrhythmias (bradycardia, heart blocks)
• R: Respiratory arrest
• G: GI issues (nausea, vomiting)
• I: Impaired breathing (skeletal muscle weakness)
• C: Cardiac arrest

Nursing Interventions

• Monitor cardiac, respiratory, neurological, gastrointestinal, and renal status
• Place on a cardiac monitor for EKG changes
• Ensure patient safety due to lethargy
• Avoid magnesium-rich antacids/laxatives in renal failure
• Monitor magnesium levels if receiving magnesium sulfate
• Discourage eating high-magnesium foods
  • Mnemonic: Always Get Plenty Of Foods Containing Large Numbers Of Magnesium
  • Avocado, Green leafy vegetables, Peanut butter, Pork, Oatmeal, Fish, Cauliflower/Chocolate, Legumes, Nuts, Oranges, Milk
• Potential use of loop or thiazide diuretics (not in renal failure patients)
• Dialysis for renal failure patients to reduce magnesium
• IV calcium may be ordered to reverse magnesium effects; watch for infiltration

Conclusion

• Visit the website for a quiz on hypo- and hypermagnesemia
• Encouragement to subscribe to the YouTube channel for more content