Preliminary evaluation of the efficacy of intravenous magnesium sulfate for the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias in 16 dogs.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of IV magnesium sulfate in decreasing the number of ventricular ectopic beats or convert ventricular tachyarrhythmia to sinus rhythm in dogs.

Design: Prospective, observational feasibility study.

Setting: Private referral center.

Animals: Sixteen client-owned dogs exhibiting 1 or more of the following: (1) sustained or paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia (heart rate > 180/min), (2) single or multiform ventricular complexes at > 60 ectopies/min.

Interventions: Pretreatment (T1) blood creatinine and electrolyte concentrations were measured. A 60-second lead II ECG strip and systolic arterial blood pressure (SABP) were recorded. Magnesium sulfate 0.1 mmol/kg (0.2 mEq/kg) was administered IV over 5 minutes. Five minutes after completion of the magnesium sulfate injection (T2), electrolyte concentrations were measured again. A second 60-second lead II ECG strip and SABP were recorded. The number of ectopic ventricular and supraventricular beats (sinus beats) that occurred in 60 seconds during the T1 and T2 ECG recordings was compared. T1 and T2 electrolytes and SABP were also compared.

Results: There was an increase in the ionized magnesium concentration, a decrease in the heart rate and the number of ventricular ectopic beats, and an increase in the number of supraventricular beats at T2. Two dogs converted to a sinus rhythm at T2 that was not sustained.

Conclusions: Intravenous administration of 0.1 mmol/kg (0.2 mEq/kg) magnesium sulfate in dogs with ventricular ectopy decreased the number of ventricular beats and heart rate. However, a specific conclusion regarding the use of magnesium sulfate as a first-line therapy for dogs with ventricular tachyarrhythmias at the investigated dose cannot be made.