Treatment FAQ

what is the fundamental cause of hypotension in patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment

by Prof. Juvenal Jakubowski PhD Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

Hypotension during intermittent hemodialysis is common, and has been attributed to acute volume shifts, shifts in osmolarity, electrolyte imbalance, temperature changes, altered vasoregulation, and sheer hypovolemia

Hypovolemia

A condition in which the volume of blood plasma is too low.

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Full Answer

Why is heparin usually administered before dialysis treatment?

It is customary at most centers to add heparin whenever fibrin or blood or both is seen in the drainage bag. Fibrin formation is occasionally observed during routine dialysis, but more commonly when the PD catheter is being inserted and at the onset of peritonitis.

What causes high blood pressure after dialysis?

  • an increase in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) ≥ 15 mmHg during or immediately after hemodialysis,(8)
  • an increase in systolic BP (SBP) >10 mmHg from pre to postdialysis,(4, 5)
  • hypertension during the second or third hour of hemodialysis after significant ultrafiltration has taken place,(2)

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Why do dialysis patients have low blood pressure?

Low blood pressure (hypotension) is one of the most common side effects of haemodialysis. It can be caused by the drop in fluid levels during dialysis. Low blood pressure can cause nausea and dizziness. The best way to minimise these symptoms of low blood pressure is to keep to your daily fluid intake recommendations.

Why do patients vomit during dialysis?

Patients can feel nauseous or experience vomiting for a number of reasons during and after dialysis treatments. First of all, these symptoms are commonly associated with kidney disease. Add low blood pressure and fluid weight gain to the mix and they are much more likely.

What is the cause of hypotension during dialysis?

Dialysis hypotension is the result of an inadequate cardiovascular response to the reduction in blood volume that occurs when a large volume of water is removed during a short period of time.

What is the most common complication during the hemodialysis treatment?

Not having enough red blood cells in your blood (anemia) is a common complication of kidney failure and hemodialysis.

How is hypotension treated in hemodialysis?

Intradialytic hypotension can be challenging to treat, especially in patients with multiple risk factors. For most patients who experience a drop in blood pressure, small amounts of intravenous fluids are given (usually a common fluid-like normal saline given in a small bolus of 250 ml or so).

What happens to blood pressure during dialysis?

While hemodialysis lowers blood pressure (BP) in most hypertensive end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, some patients exhibit a paradoxical increase in BP during hemodialysis. This increase in BP during hemodialysis, termed intradialytic hypertension, has been recognized for many decades (1, 2).

What are the problems encountered by a patient undergoing dialysis?

The most common side effects of hemodialysis include low blood pressure, access site infection, muscle cramps, itchy skin, and blood clots. The most common side effects of peritoneal dialysis include peritonitis, hernia, blood sugar changes, potassium imbalances, and weight gain.

What are the side effects of hemodialysis?

10 Dialysis Side Effects and How To Prevent ThemHernia. A hernia is a possible side effect of PD, a type of home dialysis treatment. ... Feeling too full. ... Bloating and weight gain. ... Low blood pressure. ... Muscle cramps. ... Blood clots. ... Itchy and/or dry skin. ... Infection.More items...

What is the management of hypotension?

Drink more water. Fluids increase blood volume and help prevent dehydration, both of which are important in treating hypotension. Wear compression stockings. Also called support stockings, these elastic stockings are commonly used to relieve the pain and swelling of varicose veins.

What is added to the blood during hemodialysis to prevent blood clotting?

Heparin is used to prevent blood from clotting in the dialysis lines during hemodialysis.

What is a drop in blood pressure during hemodialysis?

A drop in blood pressure is a common complication during hemodialysis. In medical jargon, the phenomenon is called intra-dialytic hypotension. It can be a debilitating problem, as it often requires cutting dialysis treatments short, leading to inadequate dialysis therapy.

What are the risk factors for dialysis?

The recommendations will depend on an individual patient's needs and risk factors, but may include: Avoiding meals during dialysis.

What are the symptoms of intraadialytic hypotension?

Patients will often complain of muscle cramps, back, chest, or abdominal pain, headaches, nausea, and lightheadedness.

How to avoid weight gain on dialysis?

Avoiding meals during dialysis. Avoid taking blood pressure medications just prior to dialysis or consider switching times. Avoiding weight gain between successive dialysis treatment, as the less fluid that needs to be removed, the easier it is for the circulatory system to maintain blood pressure.

Does dialysis cause blood pressure to drop?

Research and observations from medical professionals seem to indicate that some patients are more likely to experience drops in blood pressure related to dialysis treatment. In a study from 2017, researchers observed that patients with sepsis and obstructive kidney disease seemed more likely to develop hypotension. 2 

What are the risks of intradialytic hypotension?

In chronic hemodialysis patients, risk factors of hypotension include shifts in extracellular ...

Can hemodialysis cause hypotension?

Although hypovolemia may intuitively seem a likely cause for hypotension in intensive care patients, its role in the pathogenesis of intradialytic hypotension may be overestimated.

Does hypotension occur after ultrafiltration?

Since hypotension occurred early and after minor ultrafiltration, altered vasomotor tone was considered the likely explanation. This is consistent with observations during chronic hemodialysis [ 4 ]. Accordingly, reduced ultrafiltration would not be the most rational intervention, although frequent in clinical practice.

How to manage hemodialysis?

Make changes in your diet. Hemodialysis is a serious responsibility, but you don't have to shoulder it alone. You'll work closely with your health care team, including a kidney specialist and other professionals with experience managing hemodialysis.

What is the purpose of hemodialysis?

Hemodialysis can help your body control blood pressure and maintain the proper balance of fluid and various minerals — such as potassium and sodium — in your body . Normally, hemodialysis begins well before your kidneys have shut down to the point of causing life-threatening complications.

What is hemodialysis machine?

In hemodialysis, a machine filters wastes, salts and fluid from your blood when your kidneys are no longer healthy enough to do this work adequately. Hemodialysis (he-moe-die-AL-uh-sis) is one way to treat advanced kidney failure and can help you carry on an active life despite failing kidneys.

What causes red blood cells to not form?

Anemia. Not having enough red blood cells in your blood (anemia) is a common complication of kidney failure and hemodialysis. Failing kidneys reduce production of a hormone called erythropoietin (uh-rith-roe-POI-uh-tin), which stimulates formation of red blood cells.

Why does hemodialysis make my legs itch?

Sleep problems. People receiving hemodialysis often have trouble sleeping, sometimes because of breaks in breathing during sleep (sleep apnea) or because of aching, uncomfortable or restless legs.

What are the symptoms of kidney failure?

Quality of life. Personal preferences. You might notice signs and symptoms of kidney failure (uremia), such as nausea, vomiting, swelling or fatigue. Your doctor uses your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to measure your level of kidney function.

How often do you get blood pressure and weight checked after hemodialysis?

Your weight and blood pressure are monitored very closely before, during and after your treatment. About once a month, you'll receive these tests: Blood tests to measure urea reduction ratio (URR) and total urea clearance (Kt/V) to see how well your hemodialysis is removing waste from your body.

How to prevent complications from hemodialysis?

Preventing complications of hemodialysis requires careful management on the part of your nephrologist (kidney specialist), the dialysis team, and you as the patient . Knowing the causes and symptoms can ensure that treatment is delivered quickly if a complication occurs, further extending your life, health, and well-being.

How to reduce hypervolemia after hemodialysis?

Adhering to fluid restrictions and tracking your fluid intake can significantly reduce the risk of hypervolemia. If overload persists despite fluid restriction (or develops soon after hemodialysis), let your nephrologist know so that adjustments to your treatment plan can be made.

Why is dialysis bad?

Other complications are caused by the imbalance of fluids and electrolytes in the body and the impact this has on blood pressure and heart function.

What is the most common form of dialysis?

Hemodialysis is the most common form of dialysis in the United States. It involves removing blood from an access point in a vein, then cleaning the blood of toxins and excess fluids before returning it to the body. 1 

What is the medical term for low blood pressure?

Hypotension is the medical term used to describe low blood pressure. This is a common occurrence during hemodialysis in which the dose and speed of the procedure can cause the too-rapid removal of fluids from the blood. 2  By doing so, the internal pressure in the blood vessels will invariably drop, sometimes precipitously. This can cause symptoms such as: 3 

What is hemodialysis meant to replicate?

Hemodialysis is meant to replicate the function of the kidneys, but it is an inexact science. If the speed of the procedure is too aggressive, or the individual being treated doesn't adhere to the proper dietary or fluid restrictions, the homeostasis (balance) of the body chemistry can be thrown off, causing side effects and complications.

What is fluid overload in dialysis?

Fluid Overload. Dialysis Disequilibrium Syndrome. Hemodialysis is a life-saving intervention when the kidneys are no longer function ing—but one that can cause significant side effects and complications. Many of the problems are related to the creation of dialysis access, through which blood is removed from the body and cleaned in a dialysis machine.

What is volume management in hemodialysis?

Volume management is a fundamental challenge of care of patients on hemodialysis (HD). Determining and achieving optimal volume status aim at preventing interdialytic volume overload and minimizing intradialytic hypotension (IDH). Although the negative consequences of volume overload are well acknowledged, the long-term clinical consequences of IDH have only more recently been recognized. Recurring episodes of IDH result in a series of cumulative multisystem ischemic insults, leading to end organ dysfunction, such as congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, cognitive impairment, and loss of residual kidney function ( 1 ). The two clinical scenarios presented make a case for the importance of understanding the underlying pathophysiology and differential diagnosis of IDH.

What is the pathophysiology of IDH?

The pathophysiology of IDH can differ significantly from patient to patient: understanding its complexities is essential to plan effective prevention strategies and individualize HD prescription. However, the nephrologist cannot ignore that the optimization of HD treatment also requires the patient’s understanding and acceptance, although ultimately, the difficult process of decision making is the patient’s responsibility and should be respected.

Does dialysate sodium help with IDH?

Xerostomia, a subjective feeling of dry mouth, needs also to be considered as a driver to water ingestion. Reducing dialysate sodium improves interdialytic weight gains and hypertension; however, its benefits are controversial on IDH frequency and in IDH-prone patients ( 6 ).

What is hyperoxaluria type 1?

Primary hyperoxalurias are rare inborn errors of metabolism with deficiency of hepatic enzymes that lead to excessive urinary oxalate excretion and overproduction of oxalate which is deposited in various organs. Hyperoxaluria results in serious morbid‐ity, end stage kidney disease (ESKD), and mortality if left untreated. Combined liver kidney transplantation (CLKT) is recognized as a management of ESKD for children with hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1). This study aimed to report outcome of CLKT in a pediatric cohort of PH1 patients, through retrospective analysis of data of 8 children (2 girls and 6 boys) who presented by PH1 to Wadi El Nil Pediatric Living Related Liver Transplant Unit during 2001‐2017. Mean age at transplant was 8.2 ± 4 years. Only three of the children underwent confirmatory genotyping. Three patients died prior to surgery on waiting list. The first attempt at CLKT was consecutive, and despite initial successful liver transplant, the girl died of biliary peritonitis prior to scheduled renal transplant. Of the four who underwent simultaneous CLKT, only two survived and are well, one with insignificant complications, and other suffered from abdominal Burkitt lymphoma managed by excision and resection anastomosis, four cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone. The other two died, one due to uncontrollable bleeding within 36 hours of procedure, while the other died awaiting renal transplant after loss of renal graft to recurrent renal oxalosis 6 months post‐transplant. PH1 with ESKD is a rare disease; simultaneous CLKT offers good quality of life for afflicted children. Graft shortage and renal graft loss to oxalosis challenge the outcome.

Can hemodialysis cause hypotension?

Although hypovolemia may intuitively seem a likely cause for hypotension in intensive care patients, its role in the pathogenesis of intradialytic hypotension may be overestimated.

Overview

  • Blood pressure drop is not an uncommon complication during hemodialysis. In medical jargon, it's intra-dialytic hypotension. It can be a debilitating problem which often leads to kidney failure patients not getting enough dialysis because of abrupt cessation of treatments. It can also lead to excess fluid being left on patients, which we know is as...
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Why It's Done

Risks

How You Prepare

What You Can Expect

Results

Clinical Trials

  • Your doctor will help determine when you should start hemodialysis based on several factors, including your: 1. Overall health 2. Kidney function 3. Signs and symptoms 4. Quality of life 5. Personal preferences You might notice signs and symptoms of kidney failure (uremia), such as nausea, vomiting, swelling or fatigue. Your doctor uses your estima...
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The Mayo Clinic Experience and Patient Stories

  • Most people who require hemodialysis have a variety of health problems. Hemodialysis prolongs life for many people, but life expectancy for people who need it is still less than that of the general population. While hemodialysis treatment can be efficient at replacing some lost kidney function, you may experience some of the related conditions listed below, although not everyone experien…
See more on mayoclinic.org

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