What benefits are associated with more frequent hemodialysis?
A naturally functioning kidney works around the clock. The most common form of hemodialysis, called “intermittent” dialysis, is performed three times per week, approximately 4 hours per session. Because of the number of days (2-3) between treatments, intermittent dialysis can lead to large fluctuations in body weight (due to water retention), accumulation of wastes generated by your metabolism, and electrolyte balance. Some have proposed that this “unphysiology” drives many of the ill effects of traditional intermittent therapy: hypertension, anemia and general decline in well-being. By reducing the time between treatments, daily dialysis can reduce these wide fluctuations. As a result, it is often gentler on the patient’s body and may lead to meaningful clinical benefits.
