ABSTRACT
The study of magnesium as it applies to stroke has matured from observational studies to randomized controlled trials. The lessons learned from these studies have greatly enhanced the science behind magnesium treatment and stroke. There has been much interest in the application of magnesium treatment in the prevention and treatment of stroke. The putative mechanism of magnesium effect on cerebrovascular disease in the b rain is uncertain. Increased magnesium concentrations reduce the release of glutamate and block N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Other effects of magnesium include the potentiation of adenosine activity and the blocking of calcium entry into cells through the modulation of voltage-gated channels. The most active area of investigation into magnesium treatment has been acute stroke. Studies have focused on both ischemic stroke treatment and the prevention of vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. The first published large randomized trial of magnesium in acute ischemic stroke was IMAGES in 2004.
