NAME OF DRUG Magnesium Sulfate

DOSAGE, ROUTE & FREQUENCY 5 gm; deep IM

CLASSIFICATIO N Anticonvulsant

MECHANISM OF ACTION May decrease acetylcholine released by nerve impulses but anticonvulsant mechanism is unknown

INDICATION

CONTRAINDICATION

SIDE EFFECTS

NURSING RESPOSIBILITIES Before: asssess patients condition before therapy assess prior drug history; there are many drug interaction during: monitor for signs of magnesium toxicity: disappearance of knee-jerk and patellar reflexes and signs of early magnesium toxicity monitor respiration: RR 16 per minute. watch respiratory depression and signs of heart block. After: Stress importance of immediate reporting of any adverse reaction.

Used as an anticonvulsant. Lowers intracranial pressure. For hypomagnesem ia in patients receiving total parenteral nutrition. Prevention and control of seizures in toxemia, avute nephritis in children and other conditions like epilepsy. Electrolyte additive. Inhibits uterine contraction in tocolysis. Also used for the treatment of life threatening arrhythmias such as atypical ventricular tachycardia. Counteracts intense muscle stimulating effects of barium poisoning

Patients with heart block of myocardial damage

Flushing, sweating, hypotension, muscular weakness, sedation, confusion. Nueromuscular agents, an excess of Mg ions in the body fluids causes direct depressant effect on skeletal muscles, decrease release of acetylcholine by motor nerve impulses and reduced sensitivity of the motor in place of acetylcholine