How Much Do You Know about Dialysis?
The kidney's main job is to get rid of excess fluid and waste material in your blood. Kidneys damaged by disease, injury, or birth defects lose their filtering ability, and dangerous levels of fluid and waste accumulate. This is known as kidney or renal failure. A person with kidney failure, also known as end-stage renal disease, needs dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. Learn more about dialysis by taking this quiz, based on information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
5. What is a common side effect for hemodialysis?
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These side effects usually are caused by rapid changes in the body's water level and chemical balance during a hemodialysis treatment, the NIDDK says. It usually takes several months to adjust to the treatment. To help avoid side effects, you should follow a proper diet, limit liquids, and take any medicines as prescribed.
6. Which dietary mineral must be limited for a person on hemodialysis?
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Kidneys keep minerals in balance by working at it nonstop. When a person uses dialysis to restore this balance, he or she must limit the amounts of some minerals, the NIDDK says. Potassium in the right amount keeps the heart beating at a steady rate. Potassium levels can rise between dialysis treatments and affect heartbeat. Eating too much potassium can be dangerous, even fatal. This mineral is found in salt substitutes, bananas, oranges, vegetables, chocolate, and nuts. A person on hemodialysis also must avoid sodium, which is found in salt and many canned and frozen prepared foods. Too much sodium can make you thirsty. But if you drink more fluid, your heart has to work harder to pump the fluid through your body. Phosphorus, a mineral found in many foods, can pull calcium from your bones if too much of it is in your blood. Losing calcium will weaken your bones, making them more likely to break. Too much phosphorus also can make your skin itch.
8. What is a common problem with peritoneal dialysis?
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This can happen if the place where the catheter enters the body becomes infected. The infection is called peritonitis and must be treated promptly with
antibiotics.
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