Hemodialysis

作者：Agarwal A, Anjum F · 年份：2026

Kidney failure is defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m² and can be managed through kidney transplantation, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or supportive care. The term "dialysis" is derived from the Greek words dia, meaning "through," and lysis, meaning "loosening or splitting." Dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that helps remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood while maintaining the proper balance of essential minerals for normal body function. Over 3.5 million people worldwide, including about 540,000 in the United States, receive dialysis for chronic kidney failure, with nearly 90% undergoing hemodialysis. The end-stage renal disease (ESRD) burden is attributed mainly to diabetes mellitus and hypertension, besides rarer causes like polycystic kidney disease, obstructive nephropathy, and glomerulonephritis. Dialysis for kidney failure can be classified into 2 broad types: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis includes several modalities, eg, intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), while peritoneal dialysis relies on the patient’s peritoneum as a natural filter for waste removal. Determining the optimal timing for initiating long-term dialysis in patients with kidney disease remains uncertain, with considerable variation across health systems. According to the United States Renal Data System, the proportion of patients starting dialysis at an eGF...