The author examined 78 patients with acute myocardial infarction (IM). Forty-four patients were treated with magnesium (Mg) in continual 48 hours infusions, whereby during the first 24 hours the patients were given 50 mmol Mg, during the subsequent 24 hours 12 mmol Mg. Thirty-four patients with acute IM served as placebo group. The two groups did not differ statistically as regards the presence of risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipoproteinaemia, smoking), the incidence of diabetes (DM), age, sex the presence of Q and non Q IM. The two groups did not differ as regards the frequence of streptokinase administration. During the 21-day follow-up period (period in hospital) the authors recorded the following results: 1. In the Mg group the incidence of heart failure was by 22% lower. 2. In the Mg group the incidence of arrhythmias was by 28% lower. 3. In the Mg group the mortality rate in hospital was by 22% lower. In the discussion the author deals with the mechanism of the protective action of Mg in acute myocardial infarction and gives serum Mg concentration recorded during Mg administration.

Keywords: Female; Humans; Magnesium /therapeutic use/; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction /drug therapy/