Destruction of muscle tissue accompanied by the release of myoglobin into the blood. The commonest cause is a severe, crushing muscle injury (see crush syndrome). Other causes include polymyositis and, rarely, excessive exercise. There is usually temporary paralysis or weakness of the affected muscle. Except in cases of severe injury, the condition clears up without treatment.
n. the rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle cells, with the release of myoglobin and other potentially toxic cell components. Blood levels of *creatine kinase are raised. It can result in *hyperkalaemia, *hypovolaemia, *myoglobinuric acute renal failure, and *disseminated intravascular coagulation. Causes include muscle trauma and crush injury, alcohol abuse, seizures, and medications (notably statins).
acute kidney injury caused by myoglobin that is released from damaged skeletal muscle (*rhabdomyolysis). This is usually the result of trauma and the condition was first recognized in victims trapped and crushed during the London Blitz. Muscle injury can also occur with pressure necrosis, particularly in the unconscious or immobile patient, or with a *compartment syndrome. Rarely it may complicate intensive muscular exercise or extensive viral myositis and it is a recognized complication of modest overexertion in some inherited disorders of muscle metabolism, such as *McArdle’s disease.... myoglobinuric acute renal failure
n. any one of a class of drugs that inhibit the action of an enzyme involved in the liver’s production of cholesterol (see HMG CoA reductase). Statins can lower the levels of *low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) by 25–45% and are used mainly to treat hypercholesterolaemia but also to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in susceptible patients. Muscle inflammation and breakdown (see rhabdomyolysis) is a rare but serious side-effect of statins. The class includes *atorvastatin, fluvastatin, *pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and *simvastatin.... statin
Health Encyclopedia