Magnesium Deficiency and Proton-Pump Inhibitor Use: A Clinical Review.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative clinical review of observational studies and mechanistic theory
PubMed 26582556 · doi:10.1002/jcph.672
What was done
This narrative clinical review summarized observational evidence linking chronic proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy to hypomagnesemia, evaluated proposed physiological mechanisms (such as decreased intestinal magnesium absorption), discussed severe clinical risks including arrhythmias and seizures, and provided clinical practice recommendations.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data, risk estimates, or study counts. It notes that observational data link chronic PPI use to hypomagnesemia, but emphasizes that well-designed studies delineating the precise nature of this association are lacking.
Why it matters
PPIs are among the most widely prescribed medications, and magnesium deficiency carries serious risks like cardiac arrhythmias. This review highlights potential drug-related risks while clarifying that the current evidence base is limited by observational confounding.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review rather than a systematic review and does not provide search criteria, study counts, or quantitative metrics. The underlying observational data may be subject to significant residual confounding, and well-designed prospective studies are missing.
Cited by
- supports Severe magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesemia) in humans, which can be triggered by specific medications, can present with seizures and convulsions.