Automated Computerized-based Intervention to Identify Hypomagnesemia in Primary Care Patients With Arrhythmia

Hypomagnesemia early diagnosis and consequently early, timely magnesium supplementation is of utmost benefit, but it often goes underdiagnosed. The objective was to show and monitor an intervention to identify hypomagnesemia in patients with arrhythmia.

A cross-sectional study was designed in the laboratory. In primary care patients, the Laboratory Information System would automatically add a serum magnesium test when sample availability is present in any request when a diagnosis of arrhythmia is made. We counted the number of detected patients with hypomagnesemia (serum magnesium <1.7 mg/dL, <0.7 mmol/L), and calculated the cost in reagent of each identified case.

In 430 patients with arrhythmia, serum magnesium was measured, and 41 (9.5%) had hypomagnesemia results. One patient showed severe hypomagnesemia values (<1.2 mg/dL and <0.49 mmol/L). Patients with a deficit were significantly ( P <0.01) older than the total group of patients with normal magnesium values (66.3±13.2 versus 61.6±12.5). Each case represented a cost of 3.15€ in reagent.

The automated computer-based intervention to identify patients with hypomagnesemia was useful and affordable, given the cost per detected case.