Two cases of hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis due to thiazide treatment / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Hypokalemia is a common metabolic cause of rhabdomyolysis. Although treatment with thiazide causes hypokalemia frequently, hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis after administration with thiazide is very rare. Here we report two cases of hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis due to thiazide treatment. A 50-year-old woman who had been treated with thiazide for hypertension was admitted due to quadriplegia. The patient had a potassium level of 1.5 mEq/L, a creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) level of 21,346 IU/L, and a lactic dehydrogenase level (LDH) of 2,389 IU/L. An 80-year-old man who had been treated with thiazide for hypertension was admitted due to generalized weakness. His potassium level was 1.9 mEq/L, CPK was 29,000 IU/L, and LDH was 2,393 IU/L. There were no any other causes of rhabdomyolysis except hypokalemia due to thiazide treatment for both patients. With adequate hydration and potassium replacement, hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis recovered completely without sequele.