HEMODIALYSIS

Course overview

DIALYSIS IS A FORM OF RENAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY. THE KIDNEY’S ROLE OF FILTRATION OF THE BLOOD IS SUPPLEMENTED BY ARTIFICIAL EQUIPMENT TO REMOVE EXCESS WATER, SOLUTES, AND TOXINS. DIALYSIS ENSURES MAINTENANCE OF HOMEOSTASIS (A STABLE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT) IN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A RAPID LOSS OF KIDNEY FUNCTION, KNOWN AS ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY (AKI), OR A PROLONGED, GRADUAL LOSS IN RENAL FUNCTION, CALLED CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD, PREVIOUSLY END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE, ESRD). IT MAY SERVE TO TIDE OVER AN ACUTE DECLINE IN RENAL FUNCTION, BUY TIME UNTIL A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT IS PERFORMED, OR BE LIFELONG FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT CANDIDATES FOR TRANSPLANT. APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE RECEIVED CHRONIC RENAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY (RRT) IN 2010. IT IS THE MAINSTAY IN END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE MANAGEMENT, A RENAL CONDITION WITH A RISING GLOBAL BURDEN ATTRIBUTED MAINLY TO DIABETES MELLITUS (45%) AND HYPERTENSION (30%). THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY TYPES OF DIALYSIS: HEMODIALYSIS, PERITONEAL DIALYSIS, AND HEMOFILTRATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF THE CONDUCTION AND INDICATIONS OF HEMODIALYSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ENSURING ADEQUATE PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL PREPAREDNESS OF PATIENTS ON LONG-TERM HEMODIALYSIS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS.