Alkaline Earth Metals

Abstract

Members of group 2 of the periodic table are called earth alkaline metals. In terms of clinical use, magnesium and calcium are essential ions for the human body and any of their imbalances should be corrected. Strontium is medically used in radiotherapy. Exposure to excess beryllium can lead to the so-called chronic beryllium disease (CBD), which is discussed in this chapter. Barium salts are generally highly toxic. Nevertheless, the so-called barium meal is a well-used oral radio-contrast agent. Beryllium and its compounds are extremely poisonous and therefore there is only a very limited potential for their clinical applications. Indeed, even the inhalation of beryllium or its compounds can lead to serious respiratory diseases such as the chronic beryllium disease, and soluble beryllium compounds can cause serious skin irritations. Magnesium trisilicate can also be used in antacid preparations especially in the treatment of peptic ulcers.