Doubling Dialysis Frequency May Reduce Risk of Death (Video)

Doubling Dialysis Frequency May Reduce Risk of Death (Video)

(December 24, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

Doubling the frequency with which patients undergo hemodialysis, from three times to six times per week, can help reduce their risk of death, protect their hearts, and help maintain their overall physical functioning, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Here is some information about hemodialysis:

• It is a treatment that is necessary for the survival of individuals whose kidneys have stopped functioning

• It filters and cleans the blood in a way that the kidneys normally do

• Typically, it involves traveling to a treatment center and being hooked up to a hemodialysis machine for several hours at a time

Researchers representing the Frequent Hemodialysis Network (FHN) Trial Group randomly assigned nearly 250 patients undergoing hemodialysis to receive the treatment either three times per week, which is the typical schedule, or six times per week.

After one year, those who received hemodialysis more frequently were less likely to die or develop signs of heart failure. They were also more likely to maintain their original level of physical functioning and to have better control of their blood pressure and blood levels of phosphorus.

Today’s research suggests that there are added health benefits to undergoing hemodialysis more frequently, but these need to be weighed against the inconvenience of going in for treatment more often and the cost of these extra treatments.

http://www.insidermedicine.ca/archives/Doubling_Dialysis_Frequency_May_Reduce_Risk_of_Death_Video_4875.aspx