Requirement of Emergency Hemodialysis in a Peritoneal Dialysis Patient; Laxative Induced Hypermagnesemia: A Case Report

Hypermagnesemia is rarely seen in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients because PD can lower the plasma magnesium (Mg) concentration effectively. In this report, a continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient with life-threatening hypermagnesemia treated by hemodialysis (HD) is presented. A 52-year-old male patient on PD treatment was admitted to our clinic with complaints of fatigue and muscle weakness. Decrease in deep tendon reflexes (DTR), decrease in muscle strength at bilateral upper and lower extremities, and increased level of magnesium (7.7 mg/dl) were detected. Bradycardia, prolongation of the P-R interval, and an increase in Q-T interval were found on the electrocardiography. HD was performed two times. After HD, all the signs and symptoms of the patient improved. HD is a dialysis modality that should be preferred in the treatment of symptomatic patients with hypermagnesemia, because of providing more rapid clearance of Mg.