The Basics
Magnesium is given to pregnant patients to treat which medical disorder/disease?
What is preeclampsia?
This is the earliest clinical sign of magnesium toxicity.
What is absent deep tendon reflexes?
This assessment must be performed before starting magnesium sulfate.
What are deep tendon reflexes?
Magnesium sulfate is used in preeclampsia to prevent progression to this condition.
What is eclampsia?
This medication reverses the effects of magnesium sulfate.
What is calcium gluconate?
Magnesium sulfate is used to prevent this from happening due to preeclampsia.
What are seizures?
A respiratory rate below this number requires holding magnesium sulfate.
What is 12 breaths per minute?
If magnesium toxicity is suspected, this is the nurse's priority action.
What is stopping the magnesium infusion?
This preeclampsia-related change increases the risk of magnesium toxicity.
What is decreased renal perfusion?
The antidote to magnesium sulfate is given via this route.
What is IV?
Magnesium sulfate is NOT used to treat this primary symptom of preeclampsia.
What is hypertension?
This vital sign may change with toxicity and should be continuously monitored.
What is pulse oximetry?
This medication must be readily available when magnesium is infusing.
What is calcium gluconate?
Preeclampsia causes vasospasm that affects this organ, increasing the risk of magnesium toxicity.
What are the kidneys?
This is the mechanism of action of the antidote to magnesium sulfate.
Acts as an antagonist to magnesium and reverses neuromuscular blockade.
The therapeutic serum magnesium level for seizure prophylaxis is within this range.
What is 4-7mEq/L?
This urine output signals increased risk for magnesium toxicity.
What is less than 30mL/hr?
This assessment finding requires immediate intervention.
What is respiratory depression?
These are environmental changes that should be implemented when a patient is on magnesium sulfate.
What are dim lights, decreased noise, decreased stimulation.
This emergency equipment should be readily available at the bedside for a patient on magnesium sulfate.
What are oxygen and suction?
This organ system is primarily responsible for magnesium excretion.
What are the kidneys?
This life-threatening effect occurs with severe magnesium toxicity.
What is respiratory depression or cardiac arrest?
What are seizure precautions?
This assessment change signals a shift from worsening preeclampsia to magnesium toxicity.
What are absent deep tendon reflexes?
This vital sign is most critical to monitor after administering the antidote to magnesium sulfate.
What is respiratory rate?