Magnesium sulfate (medication)

This article is about the medical use of magnesium sulfate. For more general information on magnesium sulfate, see Magnesium sulfate. For the use of magnesium as a medication, see Magnesium (medical use).
Magnesium sulfate
Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate
Clinical data
Trade namesEpsom salt, others
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
Routes of
administration		IV, IM, by mouth, topical
ATC code
Identifiers
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
ChEBI
ChEMBL
Chemical and physical data
FormulaMgSO4 – 7H2O
Molar mass246.47 (Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate)
3D model (JSmol)
SMILES
  • [O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-].[Mg+2]
InChI
  • InChI=1S/Mg.H2O4S/c;1-5(2,3)4/h;(H2,1,2,3,4)/q+2;/p-2
  • Key:CSNNHWWHGAXBCP-UHFFFAOYSA-L

Magnesium sulfate as a medication is used to treat and prevent low blood magnesium and seizures in women with eclampsia.[1] It is also used in the treatment of torsades de pointes, severe asthma exacerbations, constipation, and barium poisoning.[1][2] It is given by injection into a vein or muscle as well as by mouth.[1][2] As epsom salts, it is also used for mineral baths.[3]

Common side effects include low blood pressure, skin flushing, and low blood calcium.[1] Other side effects may include vomiting, muscle weakness, and decreased breathing.[4] While there is evidence that use during pregnancy may harm the baby, the benefits in certain conditions are greater than the risks.[5] Its use during breastfeeding is deemed to be safe.[5] The way it works is not fully understood, but is believed to involve depressing the action of neurons.[1]

Magnesium sulfate came into medical use at least as early as 1618.[6] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[7][8] In 2021, magnesium salts were the 211th most commonly prescribed medication, with more than 2 million prescriptions.[9][10]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Magnesium Sulfate". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b British national formulary : BNF 69 (69 ed.). British Medical Association. 2015. p. 696. ISBN 9780857111562.
  3. ^ Kogel JE, Trivedi NC, Barker JM, Krukowski ST (2006). "Magnesium Minerals and Compounds". Industrial Minerals & Rocks: Commodities, Markets, and Uses. SME. p. 625. ISBN 9780873352338. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017.
  4. ^ World Health Organization (2009). Stuart MC, Kouimtzi M, Hill SR (eds.). WHO Model Formulary 2008. World Health Organization. p. 75. hdl:10665/44053. ISBN 9789241547659.
  5. ^ a b "Magnesium sulfate Use During Pregnancy". Drugs.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017.
  6. ^ Willett E (2006). Magnesium. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 5. ISBN 9781404210073. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017.
  7. ^ World Health Organization (2019). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 21st list 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/325771. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.06. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
  8. ^ World Health Organization (2021). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 22nd list (2021). Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/345533. WHO/MHP/HPS/EML/2021.02.
  9. ^ "The Top 300 of 2021". ClinCalc. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Magnesium Salts - Drug Usage Statistics". ClinCalc. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
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