Rhabdomyolysis

Rhabdomyolysis should be suspected in patients with a large burden of traumatic injury involving muscular tissue, especially patients with crush injuries involving the extremities or mangled extremities. Patients with vascular injuries or muscle ischemia with subsequent reperfusion are also at higher risk for rhabdomyolysis.

Rhabdomyolysis should be suspected in any patient with a medical condition causing increased metabolic demands on myocytes in excess of the available supply of ATP. This may result from extreme exertional demands on skeletal muscle from exercise, exogenous agents such as drugs or toxins, genetic defects or myopathies affecting the muscle cell, and infections.