Introduction

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant cation in human body and the second most intracellular cation after potassium. It is a critical ion that is essential for life. It serves as a cofactor for more than 300 enzymatic reactions mainly involving the transfer of phosphate group, for example formation of ATP. It also has important endocrine functions and is required for protein synthesis. It also maintains neuromuscular excitability and is important for maintenance of cardiac function.

There a multiple reasons for magnesium deficiency in critical care settings example:- Decreased absorption caused by impaired gastrointestinal activity, malnutrition, renal wasting due to various drug (Digoxin, Gentamicin, Loop Diuretics), Diabetis mellitus, Hypokalemia and Hypocalcemia. Therefor understanding the causes of Hypomagnesemia may be important to define and improve patient prognosis. Hypomagnesemia is implicated in development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and sepsis in ICU Patients. Also implic-ated as a cause of seizures, torsades de points.

It has been estimated that 20 to 65% of critically ill patients develop hypomagnesemia during the course of their ICU Stays. Hypomagnesemia, thouse so common in critically ill, is Frequently overlooked magnesium depletion is described as the most underdiagnosed abnormality in clinical practice. Potancial relationship between hypoma-gnasemia and in increase mortality has been suggested in literature.

Many studies have been done previously showing varied prevalence and increased association with mortality and morbidity in these patients. My aim in this study to find out the propotion of Hypomagnesemia in critically ill medical patients and to correlate the serum magnesium levels with patients mortality and morbidity outcome considering the length of ICU Stay, need for veltilatory support, primary medical conditions like Sepsis and diabetes and other electrolyte abnormalities associated with, if any in critically ill patients admitted in out medical intensive care unit.