The kidneys are one of the organs of the excretory system whose function is to filter waste and toxins in the blood and then dispose of them in the form of urine. For someone who has kidney problems or disease , waste and toxins in the blood cannot be filtered properly. Waste and toxins that settle in the blood will have fatal consequences if not handled properly. Therefore, there are therapies that can be carried out by patients with kidney disease, namely hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration.
What are the differences between hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration, let's discuss them in full here!
Hemodialysis (HD)
Hemodialysis or what is often called dialysis is a therapy needed by patients with kidney disease so that their kidneys do not function optimally. Hemodialysis can also be called dialysis of blood outside the body which should be carried out by the kidneys inside the body. Hemodialysis can help control blood pressure and balance minerals in the blood such as sodium, potassium and calcium. Hemodialysis is not a cure but a therapy to improve the patient's quality of life.
Hemodialysis is recommended for patients whose kidney function has decreased by up to 15 percent or patients who have severe symptoms caused by kidney disease such as shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting.
Hemodialysis is carried out using a special machine which will function as an artificial kidney or artificial kidney. This machine will wash the blood to get rid of waste and toxins as well as excess water in the patient's blood. The patient will have a needle inserted into a vein to connect the blood flow to the hemodialysis machine. The blood will be washed in the machine, after the filtering process is complete the clean blood will flow into the patient's body. The hemodialysis process takes at least four hours, and patients need to undergo therapy two or three sessions a week.
Also read: Early Detection of Chronic Kidney Failure and How to Cure It!
Hemodiafiltration (HDF)
Hemodiafiltration therapy is not much different from hemodialysis, namely replacing the role of the kidneys in filtering blood from waste and toxins. Hemodiafiltration is a combination of 2 techniques, namely hemodialysis (diffusion) and hemofiltration (convection) to improve filtering and cleaning of solutes in a broader molecular weight spectrum. Hemodiafiltration machines can be said to be better than ordinary hemodialysis machines.
Some of the advantages of hemodiafiltration are:
- Removes toxins in small, medium and large sizes from the body
- Reduces the risk of higher death
- Reduces the potential for patients to undergo hospitalization
- Minimize the causes of decreased appetite
- Reduces side effects of dialysis such as itching, low blood pressure, dizziness and nausea.
Ideal hemodiafiltration is given to patients who have heart conditions and unstable blood pressure. Not all patients who have kidney problems can undergo hemodiafiltration. Patients with a Quick of Blood (Qb) count above 300 can undergo hemodiafiltration therapy.
Hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration can only be done in hospitals that have these facilities. EMC Alam Sutera Hospital has hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration services with sophisticated technological machines. EMC friends who need hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration can contact EMC Alam Sutera Hospital to consult with a doctor to get the right treatment.
Article written by dr. Mirna Nurasri Praptini, Sp.PD, M.Epid, KGH, FINASIM (Internal Medicine Specialist – Kidney Hypertension Consultant at EMC Alam Sutera & Tangerang Hospital).