The kidneys are paired organs that filter out wastes from the blood, thereby
maintaining the fluid and electrolyte balance, and regulating the composition of
the blood. The term 'kidney failure' refers to the inability of the kidneys to
perform the aforementioned functions. In case of people affected by chronic
kidney disease, the kidney function gets adversely affected over a period of
time. Kidney failure is divided into five stages. In the end-stage renal
failure, about 85% - 90% of the kidney function is lost, and the affected person
has a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of less than 15. During this stage,
dialysis or kidney transplant are suggested as the treatment options.
Though dialysis may offer a better quality of life and extend the survival,
people undergoing this procedure often have multiple health concerns, which can
have an adverse impact on the life expectancy. The National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports the one-year survival rate
for dialysis patients to be around 80%, whereas the two-year, five-year, and
ten-year survival rates are around 64%, 33%, and 10% respectively.
Factors Affecting Life Expectancy
Dialysis is strictly administered to patients diagnosed with end-stage renal
disease (ESRD). In some cases, patients awaiting a kidney transplant might be
asked to undergo dialysis as a temporary measure. It must be noted that dialysis
cannot cure kidney failure. This is only a procedure for carrying out the
primary functions of fluid removal and waste removal from the human body.
Dialysis is categorized into hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. People in the
end-stage renal failure will need to undergo dialysis for the rest of their
life, unless they opt for a kidney transplant.
The prognosis for a person in the end-stage renal failure depends on various
factors. While dialysis can be life-saving, and there are people who live beyond
the expected life expectancy, prognosis could be poor due to the associated
illnesses. Though opting for dialysis may result in extended survival, when
compared to people opting for conservative management, factors such as age,
functional status, and co-existing medical conditions may affect the life
expectancy.
Age
According to U.S. Renal Data System, the mortality rate is twice as high for
dialysis patients aged 65 and above, in comparison to the general population who
have diabetes, cancer, congestive heart failure, CVA/TIA, or AMI. The condition
of the patient at the time of starting dialysis does affect the life expectancy.
Studies have indicated that the survival rates are lower for ESRD patients, who
are 65 years and above. The median life expectancy declines with age.
Co-existing Medical Conditions
Mortality rates in dialysis patients are also adversely affected, depending
on the underlying cause of kidney disease, or the co-existing medical conditions
such as diabetes, atherosclerotic heart disease, congestive heart failure,
peripheral vascular disease, stroke, cancer, liver disease, gastrointestinal
bleeding, or lung disease. The five-year survival rates after the start of
dialysis for diabetes, polycystic kidney disease, and glomerulonephritis are
about 29%, 70%, and 58% respectively.
Kidney Dialysis and Quality of Life
The decision to opt for dialysis is a hard one. Dialysis can be a
physically-taxing procedure, which is why, all aspects must be considered while
opting for this treatment. People who opt for hemodialysis, will need dialysis
sessions three times a week, with each session lasting for about four hours.
Patients might feel exhausted with the routine of undergoing dialysis at
dialysis centers. There are other aspects that need to be considered. For
instance, the amount of fluid intake has to be restricted. Certain dietary
restrictions also need to be followed. Though there are fewer restrictions on
the fluid intake and diet in case of peritoneal dialysis, it has to be performed
daily. There is also a risk of peritonitis. In general, dialysis is associated
with symptoms such as:
❒ Anemia
❒ Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
❒ Infections at the access point
❒ Bleeding from the access point
❒ Nausea
❒ Headaches
❒ Cramps
❒ Low blood pressure
While mortality rates for dialysis patients were consistently rising during
1980 to 2001, they have been falling since 2001. By 2008, mortality rates
returned to early 1980s levels. There have been cases where patients have lived
for several years, while on dialysis. Five-year survival rate for dialysis
patients has improved from 29% to 34% for patients undergoing hemodialysis. It
has also improved from 29% to 40% in case of people undergoing peritoneal
dialysis. Despite the improvements in the prognosis, patients opting for
dialysis must understand that opting for dialysis will be life-changing. The
quality of life would be diminished. There's also the option of kidney
transplantation, which is a far more effective treatment option when it comes to
life expectancy. As per the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and
Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the five-year survival rate for dialysis patients is
35.8%, in comparison to five-year survival rate of 85.5% for transplant
patients.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating
the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical
expert.
Alternative Treatments
Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy is a good choice to instead Dialysis.This therapy use Chinese herb and also adopt Modest Machine.So this therapy can quickly take affect.And this therapy have little pain in the whole treatment progress.
Do you want to know more detail information about Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy .Contact me through
kidney-treatment@hotmail.com .
