Preparing for Hemodialysis

When Chronic Kidney Disease develops to Stage IV (which is also known as End-stage Renal Failure) along with GFR﹤30 cc/min, dialysis turn to an inevitable choice. Dialysis can be mainly divided into hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. The key to a successful hemodialysis depends upon awareness and preparation. So what should we do before we perform hemodialysis?

a) Certain tests should be run before receiving hemodialysis

Those tests include heart check, vaccination status, dialysis access and some others. By detecting the heart condition in advance, the doctor could recommend you a better dialysis type, for example, those with diabetes or high blood pressure may suffer from a weak heart than others, to those kinds of people, hemodialysis is their first choice. Usually, the doctor will suggest you a peritoneal dialysis instead of the former one.

b) Control your blood pressure

High blood pressure itself can damage kidney function. Taking good control of your blood pressure contributes to your kidneys especially during Chronic Kidney Failure or ESRD. Having a good control over your high blood pressure would effectively slow down the progression of Chronic Kidney Failure as well as reduce the incidence of cardiovascular complications. Besides, ultrafiltration and sodium discharge of dialysis have a confirming function of depressing high blood pressure.

c) Psychoneself

Doctor has the responsibility to help patients get ready for hemodialysis. However, mental preparation in advance really matters, because it can not only help patients deal with the fact that he/she needs hemodialysis without delay, but also spare time getting down to vascular access.

d) Dialyser examination in advance is necessary

To check whether the package rupture or not, and whether dialyiser disrepair or not, instruction of the new dialyser should be read before usage. Realize about disinfection methods, material of membrane, pre-congestion amount, ultrafiltration rate, maximum tolerant pressure, clearance rate of small molecules and moderate molecular and remaining blood volume etc.