To provide a case-based overview of common myopathic syndromes or myositis-associated conditions for the general internist to consider.

Muscle weakness is a common complaint encountered by the general internist and this lecture will summarize clinical scenarios often encountered by physicians in their everyday practice. The differential diagnosis of myopathic syndromes extends beyond the assessment of muscle weakness and includes drug-induced myopathy and inflammatory myopathy. Statin-related muscle symptoms encompass common muscle –related complaints as well as the more serious complication of severe muscle weakness that has an autoimmune component. Myositis is also associated with systemic manifestations including interstitial lung disease. These syndromes are often unrecognized or identified later in the clinical course of a patient, which leads to significant morbidity and mortality.