Abstract: Magnesium is widely used in the treatment of various conditions, including seizures in eclampsia and preeclampsia, tetanus, atrial fibrillation, torsades de pointes, and as an adjunct therapy in asthma and COPD exacerbations. It is also commonly used in combination with an-algesics, neuromuscular blockers, and sedatives. Despite its broad clinical use, evidence is lim-ited in certain areas. The objective of this review is to evaluate the efficacy of magnesium as an adjuvant analgesic and sedative, considering its physiological roles and its extensive clinical applications. A literature search in English was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, employing key terms, such as "Magnesium," "Sedative," "Analgesic," and "Anesthesia." Studies published up until January 2025 were included, while case reports, animal studies, and experi-mental studies were excluded. Of the 973 documents retrieved, 278 studies were found to be relevant. Magnesium has been well-studied as an analgesic adjuvant to opioids in various post-operative patient populations. Additionally, it has been evaluated for its muscle-relaxant prop-erties, potentiating the effects of neuromuscular blocking agents during regional or spinal anes-thesia. Its role as an adjuvant sedative for intubation and maintenance sedation has been inves-tigated in ICU patients, although this role remains less clearly defined. As an NMDA receptor antagonist, magnesium may reduce opioid requirements in ICU settings. Its safety profile is generally high, due in part to the kidneys' ability to excrete excess magnesium. However, further studies are needed to clarify its full efficacy in these contexts.
Yaryari et al. (Wed,) studied this question.