The private equity groups Blackstone, Carlyle and Hellman & Friedman raised almost $15bn of debt on Thursday across bond and loan markets as they close in on financing the largest leveraged buyout since the 2008 financial crisis. The hefty debt issuance will go towards the buyout groups’ $34bn acquisition of a majority stake in family-owned Medline, one of the largest medical supply manufacturers in the US. 

What are the risks associated with highly leveraged private equity buyouts?