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Drug induced myopathies

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
F L Mastaglia, Director, Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, Australian Neuromuscular Research Institute, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia;
flmast@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Iatrogenic disorders are an important cause of morbidity, mortality, and admission to hospital. Although drug induced myopathies may be individually uncommon, they are nevertheless an important group of disorders that must be considered when evaluating any patient presenting with muscular symptoms. Their importance lies in the fact that unlike many other neuromuscular disorders they are potentially reversible once the offending agent is withdrawn, whereas failure to recognise their iatrogenic nature will result in unnecessary morbidity and, in some instances, even a fatal outcome.

A variety of drugs used in different branches of medicine are potentially myotoxic (table 1), or can cause muscle weakness and fatigue through an effect on neuromuscular transmission or peripheral nerve function.^1,2 Some drugs such as the glucocorticoids have a predictable dose related effect and will induce myopathic weakness in any individual treated with sufficiently large doses for long enough. On the other hand, in the . . . [Full text of this article]