BACKGROUND Addition of intrathecal magnesium sulfate to local anesthetics has been reported to potentiate spinal anesthesia and prolong analgesia in parturients. The current study was to determine whether intrathecal magnesium sulfate would reduce the dose of hyperbaric bupivacaine in spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine and sufentanil for cesarean delivery. METHODS Sixty healthy parturients un...

Background: Stroke is the third main cause of death and chronic disabilities in adults, which requires finding neuroprotective drugs to reduce its mortality and morbidity.  Objectives: To determine the efficacy of magnesium sulfate as an adjunctive neuroprotective agent in patients with stroke. Materials & Methods: This randomized double-blind clinical trial recruited 120 patients with acute ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy and safety of nifedipine as a tocolytic agent in women with preterm labor. STUDY DESIGN A systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials. RESULTS Twenty-six trials (2179 women) were included. Nifedipine was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of delivery within 7 days of initiation of treatment and before 34 weeks' gest...

The effects of intravenous magnesium on exercise-induced angina were examined in 15 patients with variant angina and in 13 patients with stable effort angina and were compared with those of placebo. Symptom-limited bicycle exercise and thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy were performed after intravenous administration of 0.27 mmol/kg body weight of magnesium sulfate and after placebo on differ...

Magnesium plays important roles in many physiologic functions including protein synthesis, bone development, and cell membrane function. There is some evidence to suggest a role for magnesium sulfate as a therapeutic neuroprotective agent along with therapeutic hypothermia in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, but studies are inconclusive. Ischemic insult and hypothermia may both pla...

Practice Pointers Preterm birth, defined as occurring before 37 weeks of gestation, is the leading cause of neonatal death and is associated with several shortand long-term infant morbidities. Tocolytics, agents that inhibit uterine contractions, are commonly used to prevent or delay preterm birth. Magnesium sulfate is one of the most commonly used tocolytics in the United States.1 An earlier p...

Magnesium compounds have been used in the healthcare setting for many years. Over-the-counter (OTC) products like magnesium oxides and magnesium hydroxides (magaldrate, Antiflux, Lowsium, Riopan) are used as antacids; magnesium salicylates (Doan’s pills, Magan, Mobidin) are used as non-narcotic analgesics; and magnesium salts (Milk of Magnesia) are used for constipation. This article focuses on...