Vol. 23 No. 1 (2026)
Case Report

Hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia due to long standing protein pump inhibitor use: A severe side effect of a commonly prescribed drug

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  • Victor Polins Pedro M.D.,
  • Oriana Hoi Yun Yu MD, MSc, F.R.C.P.
Victor Polins Pedro M.D.
Faculty of Medicine
Bio
Oriana Hoi Yun Yu MD, MSc, F.R.C.P.
Bio
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26443/mjm.v23i1.1121

Published 2026-10-15

Keywords

  • Adverse Drug Reactions,
  • Electrolyte Imbalances,
  • Deprescribing Habits

How to Cite

1.
Polins Pedro V, Yu OHY. Hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia due to long standing protein pump inhibitor use: A severe side effect of a commonly prescribed drug. McGill J Med [Internet]. 2026 Oct. 15 [cited 2026 Oct. 16];23(1). Available from: https://mjm.mcgill.ca/article/view/1121

Copyright (c) 2026 Victor Polins Pedro M.D., Oriana Hoi Yun Yu MD, MSc, F.R.C.P.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are amongst the most prescribed medications in Canada. However, they are not without risk. While there are many acute and chronic reasons for the use of these drugs, they are often prescribed with no clear indication. In this case, we describe a patient who chronically used a PPI and presented with severe hypomagnesemia and profound hypocalcemia, which caused a collapsed esophagus. After extensive workup, it was deemed that his electrolyte imbalances were most likely due to his chronic PPI use, and his symptoms quickly improved with electrolyte replacement and cessation of the drug. This case illustrates the importance of judicious use of even the most used medications and argues for monitoring of electrolytes for those who use PPIs chronically.

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