Alcoholism, or a physical dependence on alcohol, is a condition in which you continue to use alcohol despite the problems it causes to your health, your relationships or your mental well-being. Common outcomes of alcoholism include brain cell damage, memory loss, depression and liver disease. Another complication of alcoholism is rhabdomyolysis, a condition associated with a high serum potassium level.
About Rhabdomyolysis
When damage to muscles occur, the fibers of the muscle break down, which causes a subsequent release of a substance called myoglobin into your bloodstream. If left untreated, this process -- known as rhabdomyolysis -- causes myoglobin to block the structures of your kidney, leading to kidney damage or failure. Any damage to your skeletal muscles, such as trauma, excessive exertion or damage due to muscle toxins such as alcohol and certain drugs, increases your risk for rhabdomyolysis.
Rhabdomyolysis and Hyperkalemia
Your kidneys are responsible for flushing out potassium that your body does not need. This excess potassium is then excreted through your urine. Rhabdomyolysis causes impaired kidney function, and any time your kidneys are not working as they should, you are at risk of excess potassium building up in your blood. This condition is called hyperkalemia. If alcohol toxicity results in muscle damage, which leads to rhabdomyolysis, which then causes kidney damage, hyperkalemia -- a potentially fatal electrolyte imbalance -- results.
Hyperkalemia Symptoms
If you have alcoholism and are at risk for rhabdomyolysis, alert your doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms of hyperkalemia, such as nausea that prevents you from eating as usual, severe constipation that lasts two to three days or longer, and muscle weakness. The same is true if you experience a loss of appetite. Although these symptoms may be easy to ignore, treatment for them is emergent to prevent potentially life-threatening disruptions in your heart's rhythm and rate, known as arrhythmias.
Treatment
Early treatment of hyperkalemia caused by rhabdomyolysis is aggressive and is aimed at preventing additional kidney damage. Your doctor may administer intravenous fluids to hydrate your body and flush damaging myoglobin from your kidneys as rapidly as possible. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may require kidney dialysis. Your prognosis depends on the extent of any kidney damage. This is why immediate treatment for the first signs of the disorder is critical.
