Magnesium sulfate - use in medicine

It is difficult to imagine what a well-known medicinal product like magnesium sulfate, the use of which in medical practice counts several centuries, was originally used only as a laxative. And now, despite the creation of modern and seemingly more effective drugs, magnesium sulfate is still a sought after remedy, which is used even in emergency care.

Mechanism of therapeutic action

As a medicine magnesium sulfate, the application of which is based on the clinical effects of its components, is widely used not only in therapy, but also in neurology, gynecology, dermatology. Magnesium is a competitive calcium antagonist, so it has a direct effect on metabolic processes in the cells of the body, the mechanism of transmission of the neuromuscular pulse in the cells of the nervous system and the excitability of the muscles. And the same effect on the mechanism of action and comparable in strength occurs in smooth and in striated muscle fibers. Simultaneously, this substance causes a marked slowing of the rhythm of heartbeats and a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance - that is why magnesium sulphate is prescribed for relief of hypertensive crises.

The sulphate group in the composition of this drug explains why magnesium sulfate, the use of which as a choleretic and laxative means is in demand today, is considered the most effective drug for the treatment of constipation. When a solution of magnesia enters the intestine, the substance is practically not absorbed and causes a water retention in the lumen of the large intestine - after 2-4 hours the expected laxative effect occurs. In addition, the laxative effect of magnesia allows you to prescribe a drug to reduce absorption of any toxins from the intestine and accelerate the excretion of poisons during poisoning.

In surgical practice the preparation is used as a powerful agent for the treatment of wounds with abundant discharge (both serous and purulent) - the wound surface is dried and the possibility of suppuration develops.

How to designate magnesium

Magnesium sulfate, the use of which is currently indicated for the treatment of acute poisoning by poisons taken through the mouth, and for the elimination of constipation arising from the violation of normal outflow of bile, is prescribed as a 25% solution. In the first case, the drug inhibits the absorption of any chemical substance and fluid from the lumen of the large intestine. In the second case - relieves spasm of the musculature of the biliary tract, and already due to the influence of bile on the motility of the digestive tract, the passage of the contents of the intestine is accelerated.

Assigning magnesium sulfate intramuscularly, the doctor takes into account the antispasmodic and antihypertensive effect of the drug. That is why the drug is prescribed at the initial stage of hypertension, neurocirculatory dystonia according to the hypertensive type or the initial stages of atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. There is another useful property of magnesia - this substance can be given to pregnant women or parturient women with the threat of developing a severe form of late toxicosis of pregnancy (pre-eclampsia or eclampsia) for the prevention and treatment of seizures, excessive labor activity. In this case, magnesium sulfate is administered intravenously or intramuscularly, but only under the condition of constant medical supervision and the possibility of immediate provision of resuscitation assistance - in case of an overdose or overly rapid administration of the drug, respiratory depression may be possible.