This section presents diversified information on the medication that people in a regular haemodialysis programme may need.
When your kidneys begin to fail, the nephrologist may have to adjust the treatment to the needs of each patient, using medication to correct the problems that occur due to kidney malfunctioning, for example to:
- Control your blood pressure.
- Remove some mineral salts (phosphorous, potassium).
- Supply the hormones that the kidney is incapable of producing.
- Alleviate possible symptoms like vomiting, itchiness, etc.
As some medication is excreted from the body by the kidneys, this may need to be adjusted under medical prescription: lower doses may be prescribed or the interval of time between each dose being taken may be increased.
All medication that is prescribed for you by your nephrologist is suited to your specific needs. Always tell all the health professionals who treat you, even outside the clinic, that you are a person with kidney disease. Always keep these professionals up to date about any changes made to your prescribed medication so that they can consider this when changing your treatment.
For haemodialysis patients, the clinic is responsible for the treatment of anaemia, high blood pressure, bone and mineral disorders, and vascular access-related infection. The medication used for this purpose will be dispensed free of charge by the clinic's pharmacy.
Some medicines, like anticoagulants, are necessary to enable the haemodialysis treatment. These will be given at each dialysis session, to prevent your blood from clotting in your lines and in the dialyser.
