A 52-year-old woman on ICU develops new-onset seizures. She has no history of epilepsy. Blood tests show: sodium 138 mmol/L, potassium 3.8 mmol/L, cal...

Question

A 52-year-old woman on ICU develops new-onset seizures. She has no history of epilepsy. Blood tests show: sodium 138 mmol/L, potassium 3.8 mmol/L, calcium 2.3 mmol/L, magnesium 0.4 mmol/L (normal 0.7-1.0 mmol/L), glucose 6.5 mmol/L. What is the most likely metabolic cause of the seizure?

Accepted Answer

Severe hypomagnesaemia - magnesium 0.4 mmol/L is critically low and can cause seizures, as magnesium is a natural NMDA receptor antagonist and membrane stabiliser; deficiency lowers the seizure threshold

Answer

Hyponatraemia

Answer

Hypokalaemia

Answer

Hypercalcaemia

Answer

Hyperglycaemia

uk-fficm MCQ (SBA): Hypomagnesaemia - Seizures

A 52-year-old woman on ICU develops new-onset seizures. She has no history of epilepsy. Blood tests show: sodium 138 mmol/L, potassium 3.8 mmol/L, calcium 2.3 mmol/L, magnesium 0.4 mmol/L (normal 0.7-1.0 mmol/L), glucose 6.5 mmol/L. What is the most likely metabolic cause of the seizure?