Dr. Hamid Pirasteh

Dialysis is a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly. It often involves diverting blood to a machine to be cleaned.

A drop in blood pressure is a common side effect of hemodialysis. Low blood pressure may be accompanied by shortness of breath, abdominal cramps, muscle cramps, nausea or vomiting. Muscle cramps. Although the cause is not clear, muscle cramps during hemodialysis are common.

The “rule of 7's” is a basic approach where the potassium level of the patient plus the dialysate potassium concentration should equal approximately 7. This approach is acceptable as long as consideration is given to the individual patient and care is taken in patients with a propensity for arrhythmias.

There are two kinds of dialysis. In hemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine, and returned to your body by tubes that connect you to the machine. In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter.

People receiving haemodialysis are at increased risk of developing sepsis (blood poisoning). This is where bacteria enter the body and spread through the blood, potentially leading to multiple organ failure. Warning symptoms include dizziness and a high temperature.