Asthma produces breathing problems for 17.5 million adults and more than 7 million children in the U.S., according to 2009 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Intravenous magnesium sulfate is commonly used as a treatment for an acute asthma attack, but doctors don't typically use the chemical compound as an inhaled medication because potential health benefits have not yet been definitely proven.
Background
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by inflammation of the breathing passages, which results in breathing difficulties. During an acute asthma attack, breathing problems range in severity from mild wheezing and coughing to a potentially life-threatening attack known as status asthmaticus, which produces severe, ongoing asthma symptoms that are unresponsive to first-line treatment. Most acute asthma attacks improve when treated with an inhaled short-acting beta-agonist, such as albuterol, a commonly used asthma medication that relaxes your airway muscles and dilates or enlarges your breathing passages. Severe asthma attacks often require additional forms of treatment, which may include corticosteroids, magnesium sulfate and mechanical ventilation, depending on the severity of the symptoms.
Features
Magnesium sulfate is a chemical compound made up of magnesium, sulfur and oxygen. When used for the treatment of an acute asthma attack, magnesium sulfate is typically injected into a vein, but in certain cases, it may also provide relief of asthma symptoms when inhaled. Magnesium sulfate acts to inhibit smooth muscle contractions in the lungs. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and minimizes the production of substances such as histamine that often serve to worsen the severity of acute asthma attacks.
Studies
In a systematic review presented in the July 2005 issue of "Chest," a peer-reviewed journal published by the American College of Chest Physicians, researchers examined the efficacy of inhaled magnesium sulfate in the treatment of acute asthma. The team of researchers, led by Dr. Brian Rowe, University of Alberta emergency medicine professor, looked at six randomized controlled trials that encompassed nearly 300 patients. Patients treated with inhaled magnesium sulfate either alone or in conjunction with other asthma medication experienced a more significant improvement in pulmonary function than those who failed to receive the aerosolized magnesium sulfate during their treatment period. Magnesium sulfate-treated patients also seemed to be less likely to require hospitalization due to ongoing asthma symptoms.
Considerations
Although inhaled magnesium sulfate seems to improve pulmonary function in people suffering from an acute asthma attack, additional clinical studies are necessary to determine the exact benefits of this form of asthma treatment. Until clinical studies definitively demonstrate the safety and efficacy of inhaled magnesium sulfate, most doctors will typically opt to use alternative medications for the treatment of acute asthma attacks, such as intravenous magnesium sulfate and oral or intravenous corticosteroids. Repeated bouts of acute asthma attacks typically indicate poor asthma control, which you can minimize by taking your asthma preventive medication as directed and avoiding asthma triggers, such as allergens and people suffering from upper respiratory infections.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Asthma Statistics
- "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Taking Control of Asthma;" Dr. Christopher Fanta, et al.; 2003
- Stanford University School of Medicine; Status Asthmaticus; Dr. S. Agarwal, et al.
- "Chest"; Aerosolized Magnesium Sulfate for Acute Asthma: A Systematic Review; Dr. Brian Rowe, et al.; July 2005
