What is rhabdomyolysis? The disease that caused the death of a 24-year-old marathon runner during a race in New York

Marathon runner Rachel Apa, 24, passed away after collapsing in the final stretch of the New York Marathon, held last Sunday, April 2nd.

According to the New York Post, the young woman died due to a rare muscle disease.

Here we tell you who Rachel Apa was, what happened during the marathon, and what the disease that caused her death consists of.

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Who was Rachel Apa?

According to her LinkedIn profile, Rachel Apa was pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Charleston Southern University.

Additionally, the young woman shared that she would run the New York Marathon to raise funds for the fight against Parkinson's disease, which her grandfather suffered from.

"My grandfather was one of my role models while growing up. He taught me to stay active, to push my limits, and to embrace challenges. After he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, I witnessed how it slowly took away the freedom of movement he loved so much," she wrote.

What happened to Rachel Apa during the New York Marathon?

Steve Apa, the runner's father, told The New York Times that he had been following his daughter's route through the marathon app from his home in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania.

Furthermore, he had been sending her messages to encourage her during the race.

However, when Rachel was at mile 24, near Central Park close to 85th Street, she collapsed around 1:30 p.m.

A social worker approached to check her pulse, while the young woman's fiancé called for medical help.

Subsequently, medical staff performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and used a defibrillator.

According to the New York Post, Rachel's mother, who was at the finish line, ran to where her daughter was after seeing what had happened.

The runner was rushed to Mount Sinai Medical Center. However, despite the doctors' efforts to save her life, she was declared dead at 9:40 p.m.

"It is inconceivable. She was in perfect health, she was in top shape, she was 24 years old," her father expressed.

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What did Rachel Apa die of?

Steve Apa, the marathoner's father, revealed that his daughter's cause of death was rhabdomyolysis, a condition that, according to MedlinePlus, consists of "the breakdown of muscle tissue that leads to the release of muscle fiber contents into the blood. These substances are harmful to the kidney and often cause kidney damage."

This condition "can be caused by injury or any other condition that causes damage to skeletal muscle."

Among the factors that can trigger rhabdomyolysis are crush injuries or trauma, genetic muscle diseases, certain infections, severe dehydration, and intense physical exertion, such as running a marathon or doing calisthenics.