Rhabdomyolysis Patient Information

Rhabdomyolysis is a condition where your muscle fibers break down into a substance known as myoglobin. Because myoglobin has a toxic effect on your kidneys, rhabdomyolysis poses a number of serious health risks if left untreated.

Causes

• Rhabdomyolysis can be caused by anything that damages your muscles, including chronic alcohol abuse, injuries that cause your muscles to be crushed, heat stroke, blood clots, phosphate deficiencies, seizures, extreme exertion like running a marathon, overdosing on illegal drugs like heroin or cocaine and statin drugs used to lower high cholesterol levels.

Symptoms

• Common symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include dark red or brown urine, weakness, muscle stiffness or aches and tenderness of your muscles to touch. Other possible symptoms include seizures, weight gain and joint pain.

Risks

• The most serious risks associated with rhabdomyolysis are sudden kidney failure or permanent damage to the structures within your kidneys that remove waste from your blood.

Treatment

• Doctors begin treatment for rhabdomyolysis by administering large amounts of fluid intravenously along with diuretic medications, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine. If kidney failure has occurred, dialysis may also be used.

Prognosis

• Patients with mild cases of rhabdomyolysis who receive prompt treatment usually are able to return to work and other activities within a few weeks to a month, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Those who suffer permanent kidney damage may require dialysis for the rest of their lives and will never fully recover from the condition.

Prevention

• After exercise or any event that may damage your muscles such as an accident, be sure to drink plenty of fluids in order to help prevent rhabdomyolysis, suggests the U.S. National Library of Medicine.