What Preparations should Kidney Patients before Haemodialysis

Dialysis is a common renal replacement therapy, which could help pass the wastes and toxins out of the body. Dialysis is usually divided into haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. With the guidance of the doctors, patients can choose which form of dialysis is most suitable for them according to their conditions.

Usually, kidney patients should be informed of the relevant knowledge about dialysis one year before the anticipated date when they should start dialysis, so that they can prepare physiologically, and avoid life-threatening complications, which is vital for kidney patients. Once kidney patients choose haemodialysis, there are several points they should heed to:

1. Before haemodialysis, kidney patients should visit the doctors on a regular basis, telling the doctors their primary disease, current symptoms, complications, the assay index and kidney functions, so that they can determine when to build up internal fistula and initiate dialysis. Both kidney patients and their family members should master some knowledge about hemodialysis, so that they could prepare both mentally and physically.

2.For kidney patients who are prepared to do hemodialysis for a long time, vascular access should be built. At present, the best way is to build a IAVF(short for internal fistula). It takes at least four weeks for the internal fistula to mature. So, kidney patients should listen to the doctor’s advice, building internal fistula three months before they start dialysis.

3. A question that kidney patients and their family members care about is when to start dialysis. Uremia is a slow and progressive process, in which our body would adapt gradually and maintain a pathological balance. However, the patients’ body has already been affected. Doctors would suggest the starting time according to the patient’s kidney functions and clinical symptoms. One point worth mentioning is that patients should follow the doctor’s advice and start dialysis in time so as to avoid severe complications.


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