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Dialysis is the life saving medical treatment that sustains patients whose kidneys have failed.
Dialysis treatments are also called 'renal replacement therapy' as dialysis replaces (most) of the functions of the kidney, which is called the renal organ.
Hemodialysis is the form of dialysis most often used in both hospital and out patient settings. Hemodialysis uses a filter to help provide the blood-cleansing action lost when the kidneys are diseased or injured.
The kidneys are two organs in the low to mid back behind the abdominal cavity, that clear the bloodstream of waste products such as urea and salts. The kidneys serve several other important functions including helping to maintain normal blood pressure. The kidneys also produce a hormone important to regulating the red blood cell count. Patients with kidney failure often become anemic as the kidneys stop producing the hormone erythropoeitin (EPO). The kidneys also produce the active form of Vitamin D, which is deficient when the kidneys fail.
Dialysis is a means of clearing the blood of waste products and excess water that builds up between dialysis treatments. Hemodialysis filters the blood using special artifical kidneys, known as dialyzers, through which the blood circulates during treatments. Dialysis can also be done through a catheter placed in the abdominal cavity (peritoneal cavity), which is called peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis treatments are most often performed in a hemodialysis out-patient center center, with hemodialysis treatments performed for approximately four hours three times per week (treatment times may vary). Some patients perform home dialysis, most often using peritoneal catheters.
The best mode or type of dialysis for a patient may change over time. Dialysis is often a long term process, which involves cooperation, input and management between the patient and the dialysis providers.
Hemodialysis, ESRD and CKD News:
Updates on Hemodialysis Dialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, Nocturnal Dialysis CKD and ESRD
Diabetes is the #1 cause of kidney failure leading to Hemodialysis.
Read about heart disease in diabetes, chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis: The heart and diabetic nephropathy.
Why are salt substitutes a potential problem in patients with chronic kidney disease, dialysis or hemodialysis?
New Feature from Hemodialysis.com: Hemodialysis or Chronic Kidney Disease Abstract of the Week
Intra-individual variability in serum hepcidin precludes its use as a marker of iron status in hemodialysis patients.
Kidney Int. 2010 Jul 28.
Ford BA, Eby CS, Scott MG, Coyne DW.
Departments of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
An accurate assessment of iron status in dialysis patients is important because both anemia and overtreatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents are associated with poor clinical outcomes.
We have previously shown that both analytical and intra-individual (biological) variability in serum ferritin limits its utility as a proxy for iron stores in patients in this setting.
As hepcidin is a direct regulator of iron status, its measurement might be useful for monitoring patients with iron dysregulation.
We assessed short-term intra-individual variation of serum hepcidin in 28 patients with stable chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis. The intra-individual variability for serum hepcidin ranged from 9-79% during an initial 2-week to 12-85% over a 6-week period. The concentration of serum hepcidin was significantly correlated with serum C-reactive protein levels over the 6-week study period.
Hence, significant intra-individual variability of hepcidin is likely dependent on short-term fluctuations in the inflammatory state.
Thus, our results suggest that short-term measurement of serum hepcidin should not be used to guide clinical decisions regarding management of iron status in chronic hemodialysis patients.
Hemodialysis | Kidney Disease | Dialysis Resources and Educational Materials
For hemodialysis patients and those at risk of chronic kidney disease:
The Facts About Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) from the National Kidney Foundation
26 million American adults have CKd (chronic kidney disease) and millions of others are at increased risk.
Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.
Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with CKD.
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the best estimate of kidney function.
Hypertension causes CKD and CKD causes hypertension.
Persistent proteinuria (protein in the urine) means CKD is present.
High risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and family history of kidney disease.
African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and Seniors are at increased risk.
Three simple tests can detect CKD: blood pressure, urine albumin and serum creatinin
In Dialysis Without Fear, psychiatrist and dialysis patient Dr. Daniel Offer joins with his wife, Marjorie Kaiz Offer, and daughter, Susan Offer Szafir, to reveal how life can be lived--and lived well--on dialysis. Drawing on his long medical career and more than seven years of personal experience with dialysis, Dr. Offer dispels many misconceptions surrounding this treatment, explaining how you can adapt to the new diet, travel, work and continue to partake in life's joys and celebrations. But the fears and hardships can be quite real, and Dr. Offer brings his years as a psychiatrist to bear as he provides practical advice on how patients can overcome them. Walking through each step of dialysis, he explains different types of treatment, examines the pros and cons of a transplant, and discusses side effects. Since dialysis affects the entire family, Dr. Offer and his coauthors also provide realistic insights into how relatives can cope and thrive together, sharing the humor, courage, and triumphs of real families who have successfully faced the challenges of dialysis. Dialysis without Fear: A Guide to Living Well on Dialysis for Patients and Their Families
Handbook of Dialysis Therapy
Here's an in-depth, quick-reference, problem-solving resource for those involved in the care of dialysis patients. More than 120 world-class authorities discuss dialysis techniques, mechanical considerations, and complications related to various diseases for both pediatric and adult patients. Selected annotated references and excellent cross-referencing between chapters help you find answers fast, and more than 100 photos, drawings, charts, and tables, mostly in color, clarify complex topics. Providing practical, immediately useful guidelines that can be applied directly to patient care, this book is a "must-have" for all dialysis caregivers.
Review of Hemodialysis for Nurses and Dialysis Personnel
The ultimate resource for health care workers caring for hemodialysis patients
This practical, straightforward introduction to dialysis takes an interdisciplinary approach, providing an overview of dialysis technology and the relationship of dialysis to nursing, nutrition, and medicine.
Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Exam Secrets Study Guide: CHT Test Review for the Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Exam Product Description from Amazon
Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Exam Secrets helps you ace the Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Exam, without weeks and months of endless studying. Our comprehensive Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Exam Secrets study guide is written by our exam experts.....
Dialysis and Hemodialysis Book Reviews from Amazon.com
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