Which condition can cause hypermagnesemia?

Which condition can cause hypermagnesemia?

• A. Excessive vomiting
• B. Chronic alcoholism
• C. Hypercalcemia
• D. Renal failure

Answer: (D)

Magnesium balance is kept mainly by the kidneys, which excrete the excess magnesium in urine. When kidney function is impaired, magnesium isn’t cleared efficiently, so its level in the blood rises. This makes renal failure the classic cause of hypermagnesemia, especially in people with advanced kidney disease or those taking magnesium-containing medications. Other scenarios listed tend to lower magnesium levels or are not direct causes of high magnesium: vomiting depletes electrolytes and can contribute to hypomagnesemia rather than hypermagnesemia, chronic alcoholism also often leads to magnesium deficiency through poor intake and GI losses, and hypercalcemia does not typically drive an elevated magnesium level.

Magnesium balance is kept mainly by the kidneys, which excrete the excess magnesium in urine. When kidney function is impaired, magnesium isn’t cleared efficiently, so its level in the blood rises. This makes renal failure the classic cause of hypermagnesemia, especially in people with advanced kidney disease or those taking magnesium-containing medications.

Other scenarios listed tend to lower magnesium levels or are not direct causes of high magnesium: vomiting depletes electrolytes and can contribute to hypomagnesemia rather than hypermagnesemia, chronic alcoholism also often leads to magnesium deficiency through poor intake and GI losses, and hypercalcemia does not typically drive an elevated magnesium level.