Complications of Hemodialysis

Hemodialysis is widely used on people with Uremia/End-Stage Kidney Disease. Most of the people with end-stage kidney disease need to receive hemodialysis for a long time. In the process of hemodialysis, there are some complications can be caused.
Complications of hemodialysis
Cramps
Cramps occur normally in lower limbs, abdomen, even the chest toward the end of the hemodialysis procedure after a significant volume of fluid has been removed by ultrafiltration. Blood pressure decreasing may be accompanied with cramps. In addition, people who begin to receive hemodialysis are easy to have cramps.
Hypotension-Low blood pressure
One of the most common complications of hemodialysis is hypotension, which can cause serious insufficiency of blood to heart and brain. Therefore it is better to avoid hypotension. When it presents, treat it as soon as possible. Prevention of too fast and too much dehydration in hemodialysis can help reduce incidence of hypotension.
Hypertension-high blood pressure
It is more common in the mid term and late term of receiving hemodialysis with unknown reason. Normally there are no complains when this kind of high blood pressure presents. In severe cases, headache, nausea and vomiting can be caused. Most of the time, those symptoms will relieve after hemodialysis.
Arrhythmia
Patients on maintenance hemodialysis are at risk of cardiac arrhythmias. They occur predominately in association with hemodialysis or may occur in the interdialytic period. Both acute and chronic alterations in fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base homeostasis may be arrhythmogenic in these patients.
Pericarditis and hydropericardium
Symptoms such as sense of suppression in the chest, feel suffocated; can not lie on one’s back, cough and asthma when one moves, etc will present.
Febrile reactions
Febrile episodes should be aggressively evaluated with appropriate wound and blood cultures. The suspicion of infection should be high. Treatment of endotoxin related fever is generally supportive with antipyretics. Temperatures should be recorded at the initiation and termination of dialysis treatment.
Incidence of various complications of hemodialysis
Hypotension — 25 to 55 percent of treatments
Cramps — 5 to 20 percent
Nausea and vomiting — 5 to 15 percent
Headache — 5 percent
Chest pain — 2 to 5 percent
Fever and chills — less than 1 percent
Hemodialysis can cause many complications, but recieving dialysis sometimes is neccessary .

If you have any questions about polycystic kidney disease or kidney cyst , but our renal expert not here , you can submit your cases , Our kidney expert will reply as soon as possible . I hope you'll get well soon !