Table 1 Common causes of rhabdomyolysis
From: Post-vaccination myositis and myocarditis in a previously healthy male
Category | Example |
|---|---|
Autoimmune diseases | Dermatomyositis and polymyositis |
Drugs and toxins | Numerous: including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, fibrates and statins |
Electrolyte disorders | Hypokalemia, hypernatremia, hyponatremia, hypophosphatemia, hypocalcemia, hyperosmolarity, ketoacidosis |
Endocrine disorders | Hypothyroidism, hyperaldosteronism |
Excessive muscle activity | Alcohol withdrawal, exercise, seizures |
Genetic disorders | Numerous: including disorders of glycolysis, glycogenolysis, lipid metabolism, mitochondrial pathways and nucleotide metabolism |
Hypoxia | Prolonged immobilization, artery occlusion |
Idiopathic | |
 Infections | Viral (coxsackievirus, Epstein–Barr virus, herpes viruses, HIV, influenza A and B) Bacterial (Clostridium spp., F. tularensis, L. pneumophilia, Salmonella spp., S. pyogenes, S. aureus) Parasitic (malaria) |
 Temperature | Heatstroke, malignant hyperthermia, malignant neuroleptic syndrome, hypothermia |
 Trauma and compression | Crush injury syndrome, electrical injury |