What Can You Do to Prevent Shortness of Breath Caused by Dialysis

2014-03-14 06:01

For kidney failure patients, dialysis is often considered as a life-sustaining treatment, because it can take over part of your kidney function to filter wastes and toxins from your body. But at the same time, dialysis brings many problems, one of which is shortness of breath. What can you do to prevent shortness of breath caused by dialysis?

First, you should know what causes shortness of breath.

Though dialysis is a kidney replacement treatment, it can not work 24 h per day like your own kidneys. Between the dialysis sessions, fluid builds up in the body. If the fluid retains in the numerous air sacs in the lungs, it will cause shortness of breath.

Another reason may be anemia. Many dialysis patients suffer from severe anemia. Because the damaged kidneys can not secrete enough erythropoietin to stimulate the bone marrows to generate red blood cells. Red blood cells is responsible for transporting oxygen. Lack of oxygen in the body results in shortness of breath as well.

Low blood pressure is a common complication of dialysis. When your blood pressure is low, there is not enough blood supply to lung, which result in shortness of breath.

Some other factors include side effects of medication, heart failure, etc.

Second, learn to prevent shortness of breath.

According to the different causes of shortness of breath, you should take different measure.

-Control your fluid intake during the dialysis sessions. The amount of fluid intake often depends on your urine output. It is the urine output plus 300-500 ml water. Controlling fluid intake also helps prevent low blood pressure so as to reduce the chance of shortness of breath.

-Take EPO and iron supplements to alleviate anemia.

-Check your medicine to find the one which causes shortness of breath.

If you do not know what causes shortness of breath, you can communicate with our online doctors. They will also provide professional advice about treatment. All our online service is free, so please feel relieved. Hope all of you can get rid of dialysis and its side effects.

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