Antiarrhythmic effects of magnesium sulphate. Report of three cases.

A wide variety of antiarrhythmic agents is used in treatment of both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. Magnesium sulphate has previously been used mainly in the treatment of torsade de pointe arrhythmias but several reports show that this agent may be used in the treatment of arrhythmias of different aetiology. We describe 3 patients who exhibited arrhythmias affecting haemodynamic performance. Case #1 had a subarachnoid haemorrhage and developed a supraventricular tachycardia. In case #2, ventricular tachycardia appeared during the postoperative course after abdominal surgery. Case #3 experienced critical heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy and had an irregular heart rhythm with multiple ectopic beats. In all three cases the administration of intravenous magnesium sulphate was successful in treating the arrhythmias. Magnesium sulphate is an antiarrhythmic agent that is effective mainly in treatment of ventricular arrhythmias. The drug can also be employed as second-line treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias.