Rhabdomyolysis is a serious disease characterized by the destruction of muscle fibers, which leads to the release of components within muscle cells into the bloodstream, such as calcium, sodium and potassium, myoglobin, creattinophosphokinase and the enzyme transaminase pyrúvica (TGP). Large amounts of these substances in the blood can lead to lack of strength, decreased urine, muscle fatigue and kidney failure if not identified and treated.
Because released substances are toxic in large quantities, it is important that treatment is initiated as soon as possible and it is recommended that you go to the hospital or emergency room as soon as rhabdomyolysis is suspected. Rhabdomyolysis can occur as a result of intense and prolonged physical activity or as a result of direct or indirect trauma to a muscle in the body, and it is also important to identify the cause for treatment to be more specific.
- Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis may vary depending on the circulating amount of enzymes released from inside muscle cells.
- The most common symptoms being:.
In addition to these symptoms, more general signs may appear, such as fever, nausea, abdominal pain, generalized fatigue, vomiting, confusion and agitation. Because symptoms vary by cause, as well as each person’s body, it can be quite difficult to identify a case of rhabdomyolysis.
Therefore, to identify rhabdomyolysis and prevent complications, it is important to go to the hospital for specific tests to identify the disease, in order to initiate the most appropriate treatment.
Diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis is usually made by your doctor after evaluating a person’s symptoms and medical history. In addition, your doctor recommends that blood and urine tests be performed to check the amount of electrolytes circulating in your blood, as well as the concentration of myoglobin, creatinfosphokinase and TGP. Using a urine test, your doctor can also evaluate the amount of myoglobin, which is important for understanding the extent of rhabdomyolysis and whether there are signs of kidney failure.
Myoglobin is one of the main tests requested by the doctor, since the greater the destruction of muscle fibers, the more myoglobin is released into the blood and urine, leaving it quite dark. In addition, the higher the amount of myoglobin released, the greater the risk of obstruction of the renal tubules, which can lead to tubular injury and, consequently, acute renal failure. Learn more about myoglobin.
Rhabdomyolysis usually occurs as a result of prolonged, intense physical activity, resulting in excessive muscle stress. Other causes of rhabdomyolysis include:
In addition, rhabdomyolysis can also occur as a result of excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, electric shocks, metabolic diseases and strokes.
When rhabdomyolysis has no complications, it usually goes away within a few days to a few weeks. However, in some cases, treatment with the person admitted to the hospital may be necessary for the serum to be given directly into the vein to avoid serious complications of the disease, such as dehydration or kidney failure, caused by excess muscle waste in the blood. .
In addition, it is important to identify the cause of rhabdomyolysis to initiate appropriate treatment, if necessary. So, if it is caused by the use of a drug, for example, you should stop taking it and switch to another drug according to medical opinion.
The duration of treatment varies depending on the patient’s cause and progression, and during hospitalization it is necessary to wear a bracelet to assess the amount of urine per day and perform other kidney tests to ensure that kidney function is not affected. The patient usually goes out when tests are normal and there is no risk of developing kidney failure.
In the most severe cases, where your kidneys begin to produce little urine, your doctor may prescribe dialysis to help with kidney function, eliminating excess blood substances that can make treatment difficult.
The most serious and common complication of rhabdomyolysis is the development of kidney damage, which can eventually lead to kidney failure. However, the presence of residues in the blood also leads to an increase in potassium and phosphorus levels in the body, which can eventually affect the functioning of the heart.
In rarer situations, another syndrome known as compartment syndrome may occur, in which blood flow is compromised in an area of the body, such as the legs, arms, or certain muscles in the abdomen, causing tissue to die. Understand what lodge syndrome is.