It is vital for energy production, muscle contraction, nerve function, and the maintenance of strong bones. Magnesium levels tend to follow that of K+ and Ca+.
Gastrointestinal absorption and normal renal excretion regulate serum magnesium levels. Abnormal magnesium levels can result in various metabolic abnormalities and clinical manifestations.
Risk factors for low magnesium include:
Complications of low magnesium include unexplained hypocalcaemia, refractory hypokalaemia, cardiac arrhythmias, tetany or seizures.
Risk factors for high magnesium include:
Complications of high magnesium can manifest with levels above 2mmol/l. Severely increased levels can result in muscle weakness progressing to a flaccid paralysis, confusion, respiratory paralysis, complete heart block and cardiac arrest in extreme cases.
5mL venous serum or plasma
Enfer Medical offers Enzymatic technology for the quantitative assay for Magnesium. This test is CE-IVD certified.
For clients using the Enfer Medical Client Portal, the Enfer Medical Patient Request Form (PRF) will be generated when you have completed your “Test Request” within the portal linked below.
Please note that samples suspected of containing high risk pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis should be clearly identified on the form and packed separately from other samples.
Results are available next working day.
This assay is available seven days a week.
The packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory are required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. HSE guidance can be reviewed HERE.
There are specific packaging instructions and labelling requirements requiring triple packaging including:
Further information on the packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory is contained within the Enfer Medical Laboratory User Manual which clients are provided with.
Specimens must be tested within 7 days of collection and stored at 2-8°C.
In addition to the packaging of samples, the transport/delivery of clinical samples to the laboratory is required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. Enfer Medical provides a fully compliant logistics service, aligned with clients’ testing requirements.
Prompt transport of specimens:
To ensure prompt testing of samples and release of results within the published test turnaround times, samples should arrive to the laboratory by 18:00. Test turnaround time is measured from receipt of the sample at the laboratory until the time the authorised results are reported to users.
In rare cases specimens may not be suitable for testing on arrival to the laboratory. In that case the sample will be rejected at the receipt stage and the service user will be notified immediately and an explanation as to why the sample could not be processed will be provided. Reasons why samples cannot be processed include but are not limited to:
Quantitative results for Magnesium are reported in numeric value in mmol/L. Please contact us for more information on the reference ranges used at Enfer Medical.
Critical results are communicated in accordance with the Communication of critical results for patients in the community- national laboratory handbook CSP041/2019
Following receipt at the Laboratory, results should be available on the next working day and will be reported to the referring clinician via the Enfer Medical Client Portal or in a format agreed with clients.
Established clients can login to the portal using the link above.
