PMID: 6399341Jan 1, 1984Paper

Interactions of Mg and K on blood vessels--aspects in view of hypertension. Review of present status and new findings

Magnesium
B M Altura, B M Altura

Abstract

Considerable experimental as well as clinical evidence has now accumulated to indicate that Mg2+ and K+ deficiencies have probably been overlooked as important causal factors in the etiology of hypertensive disease. Mg2+ ions are important for the regulation of Na+ and K+ transport across cell membranes, including those found in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle cells. Mg2+ activates a Na+-K+-ATPase pump which in turn plays a major role in regulating Na+-K+ transport. Loss of cellular Mg2+ results in the loss of critically important phosphagens: Mg ATP and creatine phosphate. Thus, under conditions where cellular Mg2+ is depleted (e.g. hypoxia, anoxia, ischemia, Mg deficiency, errors in Mg metabolism and/or binding, and transport), the Na+-K+ pump and phosphagen stores will be compromised, leading to alterations in resting membranes (e.g. membrane depolarization). Cellular Mg2+ depletion has been found to result in concomitant depletion of K+ in a number of cells, including cardiac and vascular muscles. Myocardial and vascular injury thus results in an uptake of Na+ and Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ being lost first. The available evidence indicates that Mg2+ is important in the control of arteriolar tone and blood pressure, primarily via...Continue Reading

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