General Information About Rhabdomyolysis
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a syndrome in which skeletal muscle fibers are severely damaged and broken down, causing their contents (especially the protein myoglobin), which normally stay inside the muscle, to rapidly spill into the bloodstream.
The most common causes include crush syndrome during earthquakes, electric shock, high-dose statin (cholesterol medication) use, prolonged epileptic seizures, and heavy workouts like Crossfit or marathons that push the body to its absolute limits.
This is the most frightening and clear symptom of the disease. As 'myoglobin', a reddish protein that carries oxygen to the muscle, enters the blood and is filtered by the kidneys, it instantly turns the urine a dark cola or black tea color.
Myoglobin protein is too large and sticky to pass through the kidneys' microscopic tubes. These proteins clog the tubes and create a toxic effect, causing Acute Kidney Failure within hours.
Besides tea-colored urine, there is severe muscle pain, muscles swelling like dough, and extreme weakness. The diagnosis is confirmed by a blood test showing the CK (Creatine Kinase) enzyme, which indicates muscle breakdown, to be hundreds of times higher than normal (between 10,000 and 100,000).
To prevent myoglobin from clogging the kidneys, the patient is urgently given liters of intravenous fluids (IV hydration) and the urine is alkalized. If the kidneys have stopped functioning and potassium levels in the blood reach lethal levels, the patient is immediately connected to a Dialysis machine.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
