, MD Rhabdomyolysis

Hospital Physician January 2008 25 R habdomyolysis is an uncommon disease process with profound sequelae if it is not identified and treated expediently. Approximately 26,000 cases of rhabdomyolysis are reported annually in the United States.1 Rhabdomyolysis accounts for an estimated 8% to 15% of cases of acute renal failure and is associated with a mortality rate of 5%.2,3 Morbidity and mortality are usually the result of hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, and acute renal failure. Clinical presentation varies, ranging from a nearly asymptomatic illness to a fulminant and life-threatening disease process with multiorgan system failure. This article reviews the pathophysiology, etiology, clinical features, and management of rhabdomyolysis.