When is dialysis appropriate? Do you know these misunderstandings and key points?

1. Misconceptions

1. Perform dialysis as soon as the index is abnormal

-Misconception: Some patients believe that dialysis should be performed immediately if the blood creatinine, urea nitrogen and other indicators are slightly elevated.

-Correct understanding: The timing of dialysis cannot be determined based on a single indicator, but the overall condition of the patient must be considered, such as glomerular filtration rate, symptoms, complications, etc. Generally, dialysis is considered only when the glomerular filtration rate drops to about 10 ml/min and is accompanied by obvious uremia symptoms and complications.

2. It is better to delay dialysis as long as possible.

-Misconception: Some patients think that the later they start dialysis, the better, as they worry that their bodies will become more and more dependent on dialysis after dialysis.

-Correct understanding: Excessive delay in dialysis will lead to excessive accumulation of toxins in the patient's body, aggravate organ damage, and increase the risk of complications such as heart failure and severe electrolyte imbalance, which will affect the patient's quality of life and prognosis. Dialysis should be started at the right time under the doctor's evaluation.

2. Key Points

1. Focus on symptoms

- When patients experience severe uremia symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, edema, and dyspnea, and drug treatment is ineffective, dialysis treatment should be considered. These symptoms indicate that the accumulation of toxins in the body has caused a great impact on the body, and dialysis can relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life.

2. Assessment of renal function

-Regularly test renal function indicators such as glomerular filtration rate. Doctors will comprehensively judge the timing of dialysis based on the changing trend of indicators and individual differences of patients. At the same time, it is also necessary to consider whether the patient has other diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, etc. These diseases may accelerate the deterioration of renal function and affect the choice of dialysis timing.

3. Nutritional status

- If the patient is malnourished, has lost a significant amount of weight, and cannot be improved through dietary adjustments, this may also be a sign that dialysis is needed. Dialysis can help remove toxins from the body and improve appetite, thereby facilitating the intake and absorption of nutrients and maintaining normal metabolism in the body.

Correctly understanding the timing of dialysis and avoiding misunderstandings are crucial for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with uremia. Patients should communicate closely with their doctors to jointly develop a suitable treatment plan.