refeeding syndrome
noun
medical
: a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs from the usually rapid reintroduction of nutrition into a severely malnourished person and that is marked by variable symptoms including muscle weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, hypotension, arrhythmia, respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, coma, or death
Note: Refeeding syndrome results from disturbances in metabolism which follow refeeding and especially depletion of electrolytes (such as phosphate), deficiency of thiamine, retention of fluid, and hyperglycemia.
The major adverse effect associated with the treatment of patients with anorexia nervosa is the refeeding syndrome, a relatively rare but potentially life-threatening condition characterized by shifts in fluids, electrolytes, and minerals, along with alterations in nutrient metabolism and other related changes.—Evelyn Attia et al.
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“Refeeding syndrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refeeding%20syndrome. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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