Abstract
Although digoxin antibodies are the definitive treatment of cardiac arrhythmias due to digoxin toxicity, magnesium can also be effective especially with low serum magnesium levels. The case report describes a patient with digoxin toxicity, ventricular tachycardia and a slightly elevated serum magnesium. Two 10 mmol doses of intravenous magnesium sulfate were associated with a more stable junctional rhythm with bigeminy. Magnesium is known to suppress early after depolarizations, and in supraphysiological doses, may act as an indirect antagonist of digoxin at the sarcolemma Na±-K±-ATPase pump. Intravenous magnesium may be used to treat cardiac arrhythmias due to digoxin poisoning where there is likely to be a delay in the availability of digoxin antibodies, even in the presence of elevated serum magnesium.