Advantages and Disadvantages of Peritoneal Dialysis over Hemodialysis

Peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis are two dialysis methods for the patients with End Stage Renal Failure. Both of them have advantages and disadvantages. The patients should choose a proper dialysis method based on their own disease condition. Compared with hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis has the following advantages.

1. Peritoneal dialysis does not need vascular access

Peritoneal dialysis is especially suitable for the patients who have difficult in building and maintaining vascular access. Many patients on hemodialysis have thrombosis or narrowing of blood vessels for multiple access failure and have to switch to peritoneal dialysis. Especially for the patients with Diabetes, as they often have blood vessel disease, it is better for them to choose peritoneal dialysis.

2. Peritoneal dialysis has less dietary and fluid restriction

Peritoneal dialysis is a continuous process of removing fluid and metabolic wastes from the body, which is just like the native kidneys to function. For the patients on hemodialysis, they usually undergo dialysis for 3~4 times a week last for 3~4 hours every time. In the non-dialysis days, they have to have a strict restriction on their diet and fluid in case they accumulate in body.

3. Patients on peritoneal dialysis have a better control of blood pressure

Hemodialysis removes the excessive fluid from body at a fast speed, which is very likely to cause fluctuation and congestive heart failure. In peritoneal dialysis, as it is a continuous process, there is less fluid and fluid needs removing. Therefore, the stress to the heart and blood pressure is not so obvious.

4. More mobility

Peritoneal dialysis is generally done by the patient at home. Therefore, they can adjust the time of dialysis according to their own schedule. However, the patients on hemodialysis have to go to dialysis center about 3~4 times a week. They have to plan their own life around dialysis sessions.


The patients with Renal Failure should chose a suitable dialysis method based on their own disease and physical conditions under their doctors’ guidance. However, the patients should know that no matter which type of dialysis, it will cause a series of complications such as heart disease, skin itching, anemia and so on. What’s worse, once they start it, they will be “addicted” to it and they will have to increase the dialysis frequency with the disease progression until kidney transplant is possible for them. Therefore, the patients should choose a better therapy as early as possible so as to avoid dialysis. If you are a Renal Failure patient and do not want dialysis, you can consult us on line or email to kidney-treatment@hotmail.com. Hope our endeavor can help you can a better therapeutic effect.