Shechter et al reported 17 deaths (17.3 percent) in the placebo group and 4 deaths (4.2 percent) in the magnesium group corresponding to an OR of 0.21 (0.07-0.64). Consistent with the hypothesis that magnesium helps reduce mortality by a direct myocardial protective effect are the data on the causes of death in this latest study. In the placebo group, 11 patients died from cardiogenic shock, 2 from electromechanical dissociation, 2 from myocardial rupture and 1 from cardiac arrest. In contrast, in the magnesium group 1 patient died from cardiogenic shock, 1 from myocardial rupture, and 2 from electromechanical dissociation. Particularly noteworthy are the findings in the subset of 77 patients over the age of 70, a group expected to have a high short-term mortality from acute MI. Indeed, 10 of the 44 elderly patients treated with placebo died (23 percent) while only 3 of the 33 elderly patients treated with magnesium died (9 percent,p=0.09). Also, in this especially high risk subgroup, the incidence of congestive heart failure was reduced from 25 percent in the placebo patients to 18 percent in the magnesium patients.