priority assessment for Rhabdomyolysis?

Answer 1

High priority

Rhabdomyolysis is a serious metabolic condition where there is breakdown of skeletal muscle. This can be due to a number of conditions - environmental exposure to heat (heat stroke), widespread crushing trauma, drugs and toxins, sepsis ...

The reason it is a nasty condition is that it can cause renal failure, which worsens the situation for all of the causative conditions.

Take a history
Do an examination
Do a dipstick urinalysis and look for myoglobin (shows up as haemoglobin) in the urine
Send bloods for CK (and CKMB which should be relatively low as opposed to in myocardial infarction)

IV rehydration
Drain bladder with a catheter
Strict fluid balance charting
Medical or Intensive Care admission depending on severity of the patient's condition