Myopathy

Myopathy
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 G71-G72, M60-M63
ICD-9 359.4-359.9, 728-728
DiseasesDB 8723
eMedicine emerg/328
MeSH D009135

In medicine, a myopathy is a muscular disease[1] in which the muscle fibers do not function for any one of many reasons, resulting in muscular weakness. "Myopathy" simply means muscle disease (myo- Greek μυο "muscle" + pathos -pathy Greek "suffering"). This meaning implies that the primary defect is within the muscle, as opposed to the nerves ("neuropathies" or "neurogenic" disorders) or elsewhere (e.g., the brain etc.). Muscle cramps, stiffness, and spasm can also be associated with myopathy.

Muscular disease can be classified as neuromuscular or musculoskeletal in nature. Some conditions, such as myositis, can be considered both neuromuscular and musculoskeletal.

Contents

Classes

There are many types of myopathy. ICD-10 codes are provided here where available.

Inherited Forms

Acquired

The Food and Drug Administration is recommending that physicians restrict prescribing high-dose Simvastatin (Zocor, Merck) to patients, given an increased risk of muscle damage. The FDA drug safety communication stated that physicians should limit using the 80-mg dose unless the patient has already been taking the drug for 12 months and there is no evidence of myopathy. "Simvastatin 80 mg should not be started in new patients, including patients already taking lower doses of the drug," the agency states

Symptoms

Treatments

Because different types of myopathies are caused by many different pathways, there is no single treatment for myopathy. Treatments range from treatment of the symptoms to very specific cause-targeting treatments. Drug therapy, physical therapy, bracing for support, surgery, massage, and even acupuncture are all current treatments for a variety of myopathies.

References

  1. ^ "Myopathy - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary". http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Myopathy. 
  2. ^ Seene T (July 1994). "Turnover of skeletal muscle contractile proteins in glucocorticoid myopathy". J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 50 (1-2): 1–4. PMID 8049126. 

External links