By Martin Ekiti, MD, MPHc
This article examines the growing clinical importance of ionized magnesium (iMg) in critical care and highlights its advantages over total magnesium testing. It explores how dysmagnesemia affects cardiovascular, respiratory, and neuromuscular function, using clinical case studies to illustrate patient impact. The article emphasizes the role of iMg in cardiac surgery, arrhythmia management, mechanical ventilation, and asthma care. It also discusses laboratory-driven strategies such as reflex testing, interpretive reporting, and demand management, positioning laboratory professionals as key partners in improving diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes in critical care settings.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this article, the reader will be able to:
- Identify the physiological roles of magnesium and the clinical consequences of hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia.
- Differentiate between total magnesium and ionized magnesium testing and explain their clinical relevance in critical care settings.
- Analyze clinical case studies to determine how magnesium disturbances can affect cardiovascular, respiratory, and neuromuscular function.
- Evaluate the role of laboratory professionals in improving patient outcomes through magnesium testing, reflex testing strategies, and interpretive reporting.
About the Presenter
Martin Ekiti, MD, MPHc is the Medical Officer and Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs – North America at Nova Biomedical. He is a Family Physician, and an MPH Candidate at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Course Includes
- 1 Lesson
- 1 Test
- Course Certificate
MLO and Northern Illinois University (NIU), DeKalb, IL, are co-sponsors in offering continuing education units (CEUs) for this issue’s CE article. CEUs or contact hours are granted by the College of Health and Human Sciences at Northern Illinois University, which has been approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® program. Continuing education credits awarded for successful completion of this test are acceptable for the ASCP Board of Registry Continuing Competence Recognition Program. Readers who pass the test successfully (scoring 70% or higher) will receive a certificate for 1 contact hour of P.A.C.E.® credit. The fee for this continuing education test is $20. This test was prepared by Amanda Voelker, MPH, MT(ASCP), MLS, Clinical Education Coordinator, School of Health Studies, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL.
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Passing scores of 70 percent or higher are eligible for 1 contact hour of P.A.C.E. credit. This test is no longer valid for CEUs after June 2027.
NIU is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. ® Program.
