refeeding syndrome
Starvation recovery complication
Refeeding syndrome is a dangerous metabolic disturbance that occurs when nutrition is reintroduced too quickly after prolonged starvation or severe malnutrition.
The sudden shift from fat metabolism back to carbohydrate metabolism causes rapid drops in phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium, potentially leading to heart failure, seizures, or death.
It's a particular risk when treating anorexia patients or famine survivors: They started her on small amounts to avoid refeeding syndrome.
- anorexiaEating disorder, self-starvation
- thiamineVitamin B1
- electrolyte imbalanceAbnormal blood mineral levels
- hypoglycemiaInsufficient blood glucose
- thiamine deficiencyInadequate thiamin levels
undernourished · magnesium · potassium · muscle wasting · metabolic · weakness · ICU patient · glucose · calories · cardiac · arrhythmia · recovery · edema · fluid retention · fluid · gradual · fasting · ICU
- Diet Therapytherapeutic diet, elimination diet, ketogenic diet, low sodium diet, high protein diet
- malnutritionmalnutrition, malnourished, undernourished, undernourishment, starvation
- Fluid Imbalancesdehydrated, edema, fluid loss, fluid retention, overhydration
refeeding syndromecachexia
Severe illness-induced wasting
wasting syndrome · malnutrition · nutritional deficiency · anorexia nervosa
feeding, feeder, feeds, syndrome, overfeed, underfeed, feedstuff, refeeding