GPs are not expected to screen for, or monitor, magnesium levels and this guidance is intended to help in the uncommon situation where GPs are contacted about a low magnesium result.
Hypomagnesaemia is generally diagnosed in two ways in the primary care setting:
- Where there is a VERY LOW CALCIUM (eg <1.9) where the labs will ‘reflexly’ test for hypomagnesaemia which is probably driving this. The likely outcome would be admission for intravenous calcium and magnesium. This is a very rare event and most commonly associated with long-term PPI use.
- Sporadic cases – often diagnosed during an inpatient stay, relating to acute illness and outlined in the guidance below.
Symptoms of low serum magnesium are non-specific, but the more severe cases are associated with conditions often needing hospital admission.
