Rhabdomyolysis secondary to a weight-loss prescription

BMJ Case Rep. 2024 Jun 10;17(6):e258208. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2023-258208.

Abstract

We present a case of a case of a man in his 70s on multiple medications (including treatment of ischemic heart disease and diabetes who developed significant rhabdomyolysis, complicated by acute kidney injury (AKI) and encephalopathy, while using a compounded medication for weight loss. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit and progressed favourably after haemodialysis and supportive care. Information regarding the ingestion of weight-loss drugs was unknown at the time of admission and was only discovered after resolution of encephalopathy, raising the possibility of toxin-associated rhabdomyolysis. This case emphasises the need for a thorough clinical history and scrutiny of the safety of weight-loss prescriptions, including preparations that comprise a combination of drugs and supplements that may adversely interact with chronic medications, especially in polymedicated patients.

Keywords: Acute renal failure; Adult intensive care; Musculoskeletal and joint disorders; Unwanted effects / adverse reactions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / chemically induced
  • Acute Kidney Injury / therapy
  • Aged
  • Anti-Obesity Agents* / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Polypharmacy
  • Renal Dialysis
  • Rhabdomyolysis* / chemically induced
  • Rhabdomyolysis* / therapy
  • Weight Loss

Substances

  • Anti-Obesity Agents