Your heart requires adequate concentrations of several ions to function properly; any abnormality in the concentration of any critical ion needed by the heart can result in palpitations or the unpleasant sensation of your heart beating outside your chest. Any cause of irregular heart rhythm, including abnormal magnesium concentration, may also lead to heart palpitations.
Causes of Low Magnesium
The most likely cause of low blood magnesium is the deficiency of magnesium in the diet, which leads to decrease of magnesium stores in the body. The diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that destroy its absorptive surface may contribute to lack of magnesium in the blood.
Causes of Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations are frequently psychiatric in origin, with panic disorder and depression being the most common. Psychiatric causes of heart palpitations are often overlooked by physicians. Heart palpitations can be caused by abnormalities in the concentration of magnesium, potassium or calcium. Ischemia, or decreased blood flow to the heart, may also lead to palpitations.
Characteristics
Heart palpitations may occur in intervals or can be persistent for long periods of time. When they occur in intervals, they can be regular or irregular. When you have a palpitation, it is important to identify its nature and pattern of occurrence; a physician will ask you detailed questions about your experiences with palpitation, because certain characteristics of palpitation provide clues to underlying causes or issues.
Management
If you have heart palpitations, your physician will first attempt to rule out the chance of an irregular heart rhythm, which could be life threatening; your chances of this condition are greater if you have a history of coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure. If you have a history of fainting, lightheadness or shortness breath, these may also reflect serious irregularities in heart rhythm. A person with palpitations is initially evaluated with Holter monitoring or ECG monitoring.
