Rhabdomyolysis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Rhabdomyolysis is a disorder that involves rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle, due to an injury. As a result the components of the skeletal muscle cells are released into the blood stream. These may include phosphate, potassium and myoglobin. The protein myglobin is found in the urine. However, destruction of skeletal muscle can increase the myoglobin levels in the urine which can damage the kidneys. The skeletal muscle is a type of muscle in our body, and is made up of muscle fibers. It helps to move the skeleton at joints. The muscles of arms and legs contain skeletal muscle cells.

The kidneys, perform the functions of filtering the blood. But as the blood is overloaded with the byproducts (myoglobin, potassium) of skeletal muscle breakdown, the kidneys may find it extremely difficult to perform its daily task. This can result to kidney failure.

Symptoms

People having rhabdomyolysis often experience pain, swelling and weakness in their arms, legs or lower back. Other symptoms associated with this disease are as follows:

• Dark colored urine (abnormal urine color); blood is found in the urine
• Muscle tenderness; Bruising of muscles
• Joint pain
• Fast heartbeats
• Nausea
• Unintentional weight gain
• Seizures
• Fatigue

Causes
Rhabdomyolysis occurs with muscle injury. There are a number of factors responsible for causing injury to muscles. They are listed below:

Exercise: Severe exercise or following a rigorous exercise program, can disintegrate the skeletal muscle. Extreme muscle activity may injure the muscles. A long term exercise such as running in marathons can be harmful to the skeletal muscles.

Diseases: Medical conditions such as severe asthma, seizures, severe hyperthyroidism or too much diarrhea or vomiting can lead to rhabdomyolysis.

Trauma: Trauma such as a car accident, lightning stroke or an electric shock can result into rhabdomyolysis.

Medicines: Statins given to high cholesterol patients, may damage the muscles. Statin medications often cause muscle aching. Overdose of diuretics (water pills) or aspirin is harmful, as it causes an electrolyte imbalance. Anti-cholesterol medicines, anti-depressants or illegal drugs such as opiates, ecstasy and amphetamines may damage the muscles. Scientists believe that certain cholesterol lowering drugs such as crestor, clofibrate and gemfibrozil, may cause rhabdomyolysis. Crestor has also been linked to renal failure.

Treatment

Once the doctors diagnosis the condition, rapid treatment is a must to get a positive outcome. An easy way to prevent life threatening complications from skeletal muscle disintegration, is to practice generous hydration as early as possible.

Patients are treated with intravenous hydration, where fluids are administered directly into the blood vessels via a catheter (tube). This reduces the harmful side effects of myoglobin. The increase in the amount of fluids due to intravenous hydration, helps the kidneys to get rid of myoglobin.

Blood Transfusion: In this procedure, the patient is given fresh blood via an intravenous line. Blood transfusion is done to replace the blood containing high amount of myoglobin and other substances with healthy blood.

Dialysis: This is a technique in which toxic substances are removed from the blood. This method is used only when the kidneys are not able to do their task of cleaning the blood. The dialysis machine is used to filter the blood. Dialysis may be required for a short period or for the rest of the life depending upon the severity of the condition.

Surgery: Surgical procedure involves cutting the tissues that cover the muscles. This reduces the pressures on the nerves and blood vessels caused by the inflammation of the injured muscle.

Proper hydration is essential after conditions that involves injury to the skeletal muscle. After a strenuous exercise, one must not forget to consume plenty of fluids. This is necessary to dilute the urine, and eliminate the myoglobin protein out of the kidneys. With prompt treatment, severe complications can definitely be avoided, thereby increasing the chances of complete recovery.