Proton pump inhibitors and hypomagnesemia monitoring

Abstract

Thomas I LemonInstitute of Medical Education, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UKI thank El-Charabaty et al1 for their interesting paper which concludes that patients in receipt of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) need to be followed closely for magnesium deficiency, particularly in the face of acute cardiovascular events, as this may worsen arrhythmias and hence increase the likelihood of complications. I would of course reference Faulheber et al’s recent paper that highlights the fact that hypomagnesemia in PPI use is uncommon2 – but of course, uncommon does not mean never, and as such the former’s conclusion is sound advice to all juniors and seniors alike.View original paper by El-Charabaty and colleagues.