Answer :
Final answer:
Elevated magnesium, or hypermagnesemia, can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and in severe cases, cardiac and neurological complications. Treatment involves reducing magnesium intake or dialysis to remove excess magnesium if kidney function is impaired.
Explanation:
Elevated magnesium levels in the body, a condition also known as hypermagnesemia, can lead to a variety of effects.
Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays key roles in numerous physiological processes, including nerve function, muscle contraction, and heart rhythm maintenance. While normal levels of magnesium are vital for health, an excess can cause several symptoms and complications.
In the case of mild hypermagnesemia, symptoms may be minimal or non-existent. However, as magnesium levels continue to rise, symptoms can become more severe. Some of these include nausea, vomiting, facial flushing, urinary retention, ileus, difficulty breathing, and an overall feeling of lethargy.
In extreme cases, elevated magnesium can lead to cardiac problems such as hypotension (low blood pressure), bradycardia (slow heart rate), and ultimately, cardiac arrest. Furthermore, it can also affect the neurological system, causing drowsiness, muscle weakness, and in severe cases, respiratory paralysis and coma.
Treatment for hypermagnesemia typically involves avoiding intake of magnesium-containing supplements or medications, and in cases where kidney function is compromised, dialysis may be required to remove excess magnesium from the bloodstream.
