Intravenous Magnesium in Arterial Disease
S. E. Browne
The coronary collateral circulation has immense potential for
the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease as has
collateral circulation in other forms of arterial disease. It is
idle to speculate about the state of the coronary collateral
circulation in for example Stone Age Man but tragically in modern
man it is usually closed and inactive and of no assistance in
myocardial infarction or angina. Haddy has shown that the higher
the concentration of magnesium infused into dog's arteries the
greater the resulting vasodilatation.
Rapid intravenous bolus doses of 8 to 12 mmols of magnesium
have been shown to instantaneously and effectively dilate the
coronary collateral circulation proving a dramatically effective
treatment of acute myocardial infarction, angina and congestive
heart failure. For example a man of 44 had a severe myocardial
infarction with subsequent crippling angina and a ventricular
aneurysm. After 6 rapid intravenous injections of 8 mmols of
magnesium he was completely free from angina and enjoyed life for
a further 17 years. His coronary arteriogram showed a completely
blocked left anterior descending artery but the distal portion
was well filled by collateral circulation from the right coronary
artery. Out of 126 patients with angina 116 patients had either
complete or marked relief of pain after intravenous magnesium.
Out of 59 patients with acute myocardial infarction 26 had
immediate relief of pain after 8 mmols of magnesium had been
given and all 59 recovered without any evidence of arrhythmias.
Of 30 patients with cardiac congestive failure 24 were markedly
improved.
Opening collateral circulation in the brain is also effective.
In non-haemorrhagic cerebral arterial disease intravenous
magnesium has secured complete relief of paralysis in 18 out of
35 patients. It has also proved effective in claudication,
gangrene, chronic leg ulceration, chilblains, and early renal
disease.
Its preventive use in early middle age would improve life
expectancy considerably, as it would minimise the impact of
subsequent arterial disease or prevent tissue damage
completely.
Ref. Browne SE. The case for intravenous magnesium treatment
of arterial disease in general practice. Review of 34 years of
experience. Journal of Nutritional Medicine (1994) 4,
169-177.
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