Dialysis at night time? Yes. Kidney patients who have been undergoing dialysis regularly during daytime are being recommended to go for nocturnal dialysis because of health benefits and sleep factor which is important for patients.
Based on scientific data that had analysed blood pressure, cardiac functioning and other results of patients with kidney problems who were introduced to nocturnal dialysis, renal expert and nephrologist R.M.Hemanath of Vadamalayan Hospitals here has said that the advantages of night time dialysis are many and need to be familiarised among patients.
“Technically, nocturnal dialysis gives good results than conventional dialysis which is done during daytime.
If it is done at night time, the dialysis will be of longer duration, of about eight hours, and the outcome is better. There is evidence for that,” he explained on Tuesday. Apart from health benefits, it also preserves normal work schedule and family activities.
The prolonged eight-hour dialysis, which will be introduced next month in Vadamalayan Hospitals, is very helpful for keeping blood pressure under control and to those who have diabetes/ hypertension.
Citing from various articles written by leading nephrologists, Dr.Hemanath says that the longer sessions will have slower pump speed and improved Hemo-Dialysis Product (HDP).
“In the conventional four-hour dialysis, blood flow will be at higher speed and it is difficult to remove fluid.
But, when we do it for longer duration, cardiac functioning will be good and that is a big advantage of nocturnal dialysis which is common in many countries,” he explains.
According to a report, nocturnal dialysis patient having three sessions per week of eight hours each has a healthy HDP when compared to conventional procedure. It also decreases the medication of patients.
V.Pugalagiri, Chairman and Managing Director, Vadamalayan Hospitals, has said that the hospital's dialysis unit is geared up to introduce night time dialysis and the existing infrastructure is enough.
“Those who are on regular dialysis can come at night after their work.
We want to popularise this because it is for patient's survival and longevity,” he says.
Promising a dialysis schedule that doesn't disturb the routine, nephrologist Dr. Hemanath says that those on dialysis can try it out at night since at the end of the day, you will feel better. It costs the same, has time convenience and gives better results.
