Intracellular free magnesium in erythrocytes of essential hypertension: relation to blood pressure and serum divalent cations.

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Abstract
Intracellular levels of free Mg2+ in human erythrocytes were determined by 31P NMR spectroscopy in 26 fasted subjects and were correlated with blood pressures and serum levels of total Mg (bound and free Mg2+) and ionized Ca from the same subjects in a seated position. Untreated hypertensive individuals consistently demonstrated lower levels of intracellular free Mg (192 .+-. 8 .mu.M, n = 11) than either normotensive (261 .+-. 9.8 .mu.Mm, n = 7, P < 0.001 vs. untreated hypertensive subjects) or hypertensive subjects whose blood pressure was normalized on therapy (237 .+-. 7.8 .mu.M, n = 8, P < 0.005 vs. untreated hypertensives). For all subjects, strong relationships existed between intracellular free Mg and diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.85, P < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (r = -0.71, P < 0.001). Significant relationships also were observed between intracellular free Mg levels and extracellular serum levels of Ca ion (r = -0.77, P < 0.001) as well as serum concentrations of total Mg (r = 0.62, P < 0.001). Significant depletion of intracellular free Mg levels are apparent in erythrocytes of subjects with essential hypertension. The close, inverse relationship of free Mg levels with the height of the blood pressure suggests that abnormalities of intracellular Mg metabolism may contribute to the pathophysiology of human essential hypertension.