RHABDOMYOLYSIS

A condition whereby skeletal muscle is broken down, releasing intracellular (inside the cell) muscle enzymes and electrolytes. The major risks of this condition are two fold: one is obviously muscle breakdown and the other is kidney failure. The myoglobin, an intracellular component, is toxic to the kidneys and may lead to kidney failure. Rhabdomyolysis is relatively uncommon, but most often occurs as the result of extensive muscle damage, for example crush injury or electrical shock. Other causes many be drug or toxin, for example many of the cholesterol lowering medications have the potential to cause this disorder. Underlying diseases can also lead to rhabdomyolysis, including collagen vascular diseases (such as systemic lupus erythematosus) and others, which if left untreated may also cause this muscle degradation.