I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Home Dialysis - NxStage Users => Topic started by: lmunchkin on May 19, 2011, 07:53:01 PM
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How is the BLP derived at the end of dialysis. Is there a formula to it or what? I have asked the nurse at the clinic, but he is "all over the map" when trying to explain it to this dummy. Can anyone explain it to me in layman's terms please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :waiting; :stressed;
lmunchkin :flower;
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How is the BLP derived at the end of dialysis. Is there a formula to it or what? I have asked the nurse at the clinic, but he is "all over the map" when trying to explain it to this dummy. Can anyone explain it to me in layman's terms please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ..
BLP: blood liters processed.
BLP = BFR (blood flow rate/min) * Tx duration (min)
Assuming you have a high blood flow rate of 500 ml/min (don't run at 500 ml/min, it may be too high for most patients) and your treatment is 3 hours (180min) then the
BLP = 500ml/min x 180min = 90 Liters
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That is exactly what I was wanting to know. I would notice my BLP would be different everytime, I didn't understand why and asked the nurse. He told me that tells how many liters of blood went through the machine in the time of treatment. He was right, but I don't know if he knew how it determined that figure. You know what I'm saying? He may have but just didn't know how to explain it to me. Thanks sooooo much Greg.
Also, I was trying to figure it in hours and not minutes! Makes much more sense in minutes, DAH!!!! I knew someone with IHD would have my answer! I love reading your posts too, cause I learn alot from the info you post!!
Again thanks, Greg,
lmunchkin :cheer:
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I made a nifty spreadsheet to try to figure these numbers out.
If you have a mathmagical person around they may be able to use it (and maybe improve it).
It works most of the time. There are some values you can enter that will cause it to do crazy things (negative numbers, really low flow rates). It incorrectly assumes you instantly raise your DFR when you finish UF (yellow 5) and start treatment running at top speed.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AiEa8NMba3u9dFF5WnhjQ3J3OGo1OGxtMDAyemZYVXc&hl=en_US (https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AiEa8NMba3u9dFF5WnhjQ3J3OGo1OGxtMDAyemZYVXc&hl=en_US)
You have to download it to play with it. I hope to make an easy to fill out online form someday if I ever figure out how to do that.
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Zog, you probably already played with the forms supported by GoogleDocs?
When you look at your spreadsheet, there should be a "forms" tab along the top, near the RHS end, near Tools and Help?
Or you might need to start again by going File > New > Forms...
Not sure though, if you can make a form that will calculate and display a number based on the fields you fill out... maybe? I think not...
But you can use it as a cute "data entry" form, that's for sure.
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BLP can vary a bit because of alarms. When you recover from an alarm, the blood pump slowly revs up to speed, and you also add a small amount of time (a minute or two per alarm) to your treatment. This can effect the total BLP.
If you want to really understand the math of your machine, learn how to calculate the maximum dialysate pump speed for a given blood flow rate and flow fraction. If you can do that, you pretty much understand the interaction of fluid flows.