Magnesium sulfate is a preparation that contains active magnesium ions. It has been used in medicine for quite a long time, which allows us to conclude that it is effective in the treatment of many diseases.
The composition of the drug and the form of release
Magnesia - magnesium sulfate refers to a chemical compound, which is presented in the form of a white powder. It is part of natural sea water. Magnesium sulfate is found in the waters of the Caspian Sea, it is odorless and readily soluble in water.
Magnesia can be purchased in several varieties of dosage forms:
- Ampoules with powder. The drug is used for intravenous and intramuscular administration.
- Sachets of powder. From them, suspensions are prepared for internal administration.
Powder in ampoules for injection does not contain any excipients. The kit contains water, which serves to dissolve it. The main active substance of the drug is magnesium sulfate.
For oral administration, the powder is packaged in 5, 10 and 25 g.
Drug action
Magnesium sulfate has a large number of therapeutic effects that differ only in the method of drug administration: in the form of an injection or orally.
The main properties of the drug include:
- Vasodilation
- Getting rid of cramps.
- Normalization of blood pressure.
- Cramping.
- Soothing effect.
- Relaxation of the muscles of the uterus.
- Laxative effect.
- Cholagogue.
When using magnesium sulfate in the form of a suspension, the drug has a choleretic and laxative effect. After it enters the body, irritation of the nerve endings of the duodenum occurs, which allows to achieve the desired effect.
With this method of application, magnesia does not enter the bloodstream, but causes an increased filling of the intestines with liquid, which helps to obtain a laxative effect. Feces are liquefied and bowel movements are much faster.
A small amount of the drug that enters the body is excreted by the kidneys. Therefore, magnesium sulfate has a slight diuretic effect. The excretion period is 4-5 hours.
Experts prescribe it for poisoning with salts of heavy metals. In this situation, the drug acts as an antidote. It is able to remove them from the body.
The magnesium sulfate solution is used in the form of injections or topically. In the latter case, bandages are impregnated with the agent and placed on wounds. The solution is also used in electrophoresis for the treatment of diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Intramuscular or intravenous use of magnesium sulfate helps to quickly reduce blood pressure, relieve seizures, and helps to dilate blood vessels. The drug can have a hypnotic effect and inhibit the central nervous system. Specialists select the dosage individually, it depends on the disease and the age of the patient.
Magnesium sulfate is widely used in obstetric practice, especially with the threat of premature birth. In this case, the smooth muscles of the uterus are relaxed, the vessels expand and the contractile activity is suspended. Therefore, the threat of premature birth is reduced.
Indications for use
Magnesium sulfate is used in the treatment of various diseases. It is used in therapy as a symptomatic drug. In some situations, the medicine is prescribed in the form of a solution for injection, and in others in the form of a suspension.
According to the instructions, magnesium sulfate is administered intramuscularly and intravenously in such cases:
- Myocardial infarction.
- Arterial hypertension, as well as hypertensive crisis.
- Late toxicosis in pregnant women.
- Reduced levels of magnesium in the body arising from stress, alcoholism and diuretics.
- Conditions requiring increased need for magnesium. This may be necessary during pregnancy or during prolonged stress.
- Combined therapy for pregnant women with the threat of premature birth.
- Seizures that occur with a violation of calcium metabolism.
- Arrhythmia.
- Poisoning with salts of heavy metals (barium, arsenic and others).
- Combined therapy of bronchial asthma.
- Concussion.
- Epilepsy.
Magnesium sulfate can be taken in powder form in such cases:
- cholangitis;
- poisoning;
- cholecystitis;
- constipation;
- in the form of a preparation for bowel movement before surgery;
- biliary dyskinesia.
Magnesia as a powder or granules is widespread among professional athletes, they use the drug to cleanse the body and remove harmful substances.
Use of the drug as a laxative
According to the instructions, magnesium sulfate is used as a laxative and has some advantages over drugs of this kind. He does not cause addiction.
The desired effect of the drug can be achieved earlier than from other similar drugs.
Before admission, it is necessary to consult a specialist in cases where the cause of constipation is not established. For this, it is used in powder. The medication should be taken at night or in the morning, immediately after waking up and before eating.
Before starting treatment, a suspension is prepared from the powder. The dosage for adolescents over 15 years of age and adults is 10-30 g, diluted in 100 ml of water.
If the medicine is intended for a child under 15 years old, then the dose is determined based on his age (1 g - 1 year, 6 g - 6 years).
To speed up the process of bowel movement, then according to the instructions, a suspension is prepared from magnesium sulfate powder, and then consumed inside, the drug must be washed down with a significant amount of warm water. The positive effect of the drug will come within 1 hour. Taking magnesium sulfate constantly for 2-3 days is not recommended, because inflammation of the intestinal mucosa may occur.
Most often, it is taken once to prevent acute constipation. The drug can be used after anthelmintic treatment.
Magnesium sulfate for injections
The drug produced in ampoules is completely ready for use. Its concentration is 20 or 25%. Depending on how quickly it is required to obtain a therapeutic effect, magnesium sulfate is administered intravenously or intramuscularly. This is carried out according to the doctor's prescription.
The rate of intramuscular or intravenous administration should not be more than 1 ml per minute. Patients usually feel a fever that spreads from the injection site throughout the body, so during the administration process it is necessary to monitor the patient's condition.
The maximum dosage per day is 40 g. The amount of injected solution at a concentration of 20% should not be more than 200 ml, and at 25% - 160 ml.
According to the instructions, the use of magnesium sulfate intramuscularly is carried out in all cases except emergency. Serious pathologies include hypertensive crisis, convulsive seizures.
Patients are most often prescribed a drug 1-2 times a day. To perform one injection, 5-20 ml of the drug is used. The course of therapy is carried out within 2-3 weeks.
To prevent spastic pain in the intestines and other organs, magnesium sulfate is mixed with 0.5% Novocain.
The drug is administered intravenously for myocardial infarction, hypertensive crisis and other diseases that threaten the patient's life. If the condition is critical, then it is administered 2 times a day. The dose of 20% solution is 5-20 ml. A positive effect is achieved within 10-20 minutes. The result is evaluated after 40-50 minutes, and the positive effect persists for 6 hours.
During the period of prolonged treatment, specialists should constantly measure the patient’s blood pressure, monitor the work of the kidneys and tendon reflexes.
Bowel cleansing
The drug has positive properties in the treatment of various diseases.
In order for the cleaning procedure to not cause complications, preliminary preparation is necessary. To do this, 14 days before cleansing, you must completely change your menu. Fried, spicy, smoked and salty dishes should be excluded from it. The basis of the diet should be fresh and baked vegetables, fruits, whole grains.
According to reviews, magnesium sulfate for bowel cleansing is used as follows:
- You need to purchase 10-30 g of the drug.
- It is best to cleanse in the morning, no later than 7 hours. To do this, dilute 20-30 g of magnesium sulfate in 100 ml of water. The prepared solution should not contain sediment or it should be present in a minimum amount.
- Then the drug is taken orally. The taste of the solution is not very pleasant, so you can then eat a slice of lemon or grapefruit. Sometimes the drug is drunk through a straw.
- After 2-6 hours, the urge to defecate is felt. When the intestines are released, the patient may feel bloating and abdominal pain.
- After the procedure, you can eat only after 3-4 hours.
Some experts advise cleansing the intestines within 2-3 days. It is necessary to use caution when using the product, because magnesium sulfate has side effects.
During pregnancy
For women who have a baby, magnesium sulfate can be prescribed to prevent increased uterine tone. This is done in order to avoid premature birth. The medicine quickly stops the contraction of the uterine muscles, which prevents the rapid development of labor.
How to take magnesium sulfate? Self-medication is prohibited. It is administered exclusively under the supervision of doctors.
As for the safety of the unborn child during the treatment period, such studies have not been conducted. Despite this, the drug is used to treat pregnant women, so many healthy children were born. Therefore, magnesia is considered one of the safest drugs, if used correctly.
Uncontrolled treatment is prohibited, it is used only in cases where it is not possible to use other drugs. Experts should not have doubts about the benefits of magnesium sulfate for the body of a pregnant woman and a child.
During intravenous administration, the drug passes through the placental barrier into the blood of the unborn child. In his body creates exactly the same concentration of active substance. And the therapeutic effect passes to the fetus. His blood pressure may decrease and respiratory depression may occur if the medicine was administered before the birth.
Therefore, doctors refuse to use magnesium sulfate 2 hours before the birth of a child. An exception are convulsions on the background of eclampsia.
If necessary, the drug is administered continuously. The feed rate cannot exceed 1 ml per minute. The main thing is that on the part of doctors, constant monitoring of the condition of the woman is carried out.
Drug overdose
According to the instructions, magnesium sulfate can cause an overdose with any method of application, even oral. When this occurs after injection, the symptoms appear as follows:
- nausea and vomiting;
- lowering blood pressure;
- lack of a knee reflex;
- bradycardia.
To reduce such symptoms, it is necessary to introduce calcium chloride or calcium gluconate in a 10% concentration. The solution is used as an antidote, and the dose is 5-10 ml. In some cases, the patient is attached to an artificial respiration apparatus, and a hemodialysis procedure is also performed.
If an overdose occurs due to the use of magnesium sulfate powder, then patients develop severe diarrhea. To stop its action, such drugs as Loperamide or Regidron are prescribed. This will stop bowel movement and restore fluid and electrolyte reserves.
Contraindications and side effects
Like any other drug, magnesium sulfate in ampoules and powder has restrictions on the intake. The following contraindications for injection:
- Individual intolerance to the active substance.
- Elevated levels of magnesium in the blood.
- Two hours before delivery.
- Severe kidney disease.
- Antrioventricular block.
Impaired renal function after taking the drug may be irreversible. Injection is not recommended for patients with low blood pressure and suffering from respiratory failure.
If bleeding is suspected in any part of the gastrointestinal tract, oral administration of magnesium sulfate is prohibited. Among other contraindications, there are: intestinal obstruction, a foreign body in any part of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammation in the digestive organs. With dehydration, taking the drug is also prohibited.
The use of magnesium sulfate can lead to the following adverse reactions:
- from the digestive tract - heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
- on the part of the central nervous system - dizziness, increased fatigue, headache, impaired consciousness;
- on the part of the cardiovascular system - fever and sweating, arrhythmia, anxiety.
When taking the drug in the form of a powder, it is possible to develop diarrhea and inflammation of the digestive tract.
During pregnancy and lactation, magnesium sulfate is approved for use. Dosages are as usual. In case of negative symptoms, the drug should be discontinued.
Reviews
Opinions about the drug were mostly positive. Magnesium sulfate was used for some women in the first trimester of pregnancy, when there is a threat of miscarriage. As a result, the hypertension passed and a healthy baby was born.
For many patients, the drug is prescribed in the treatment of hypertension. The effect was observed fast and long-term.
An excellent remedy for constipation. It promotes quality bowel movement. In some patients, the laxative effect was so pronounced that it led to pain in the abdomen.
Magnesium sulfate is a drug that is used to treat various diseases. It has a convenient form of release, which contributes to its more efficient use. When using a medicine, especially in injections, all its features and contraindications should be taken into account. Self-medication is unacceptable.