Dialysis Center - Billerica, MA
Billerica Nephrologist Doctors for DialysisType of Physician: Nephrologist What is a Nephrologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners treat disorders of the kidney, high blood pressure, fluid and mineral imbalance, dialysis of body wastes when the kidneys do not function, and consultation with surgeons about kidney transplantation. Specialty: Nephrology Common Name: Kidney Doctor Nephrologist Doctors in Billerica * Lahey Medical Center Nephrology  Lahey Medical Center Nephrology  Lahey Medical Center Nephrology  Lahey Medical Center Nephrology  Lahey Medical Center Nephrology  Nephrology Associates  Nephrology Associates  Nephrology Associates  Nephrology Associates  Sebastian G Sepulveda MD  Woburn Nephrology Associates PC  Woburn Nephrology Associates PC  Woburn Nephrology Associates PC  Pratt Medical Group  The Concord Clinic  Pratt Medical Group  Michael J Landman MD  Paul N Lemaitre MD  Waltham Medical Group  Pentucket Medical  Haddad & Sayegh MDs  Haddad & Sayegh MDs  Anthony Dash MD  Greater Boston Medical Associates Inc  Ashraf S Selim MD  Drs Lear & Segall  Drs Lear & Segall  Henry Yager MD  Henry Yager MD  James A Strom MD  Brigham & Women's Physician Group  Personal Physicians HealthCare PC  Michael Gottlieb MD  Commonwealth Nephrology Associates  Beth Israel Deaconess Nephrology  Beth Israel Deaconess Nephrology  Joslin Diabetes Center Inc Nephrology  Beth Israel Deaconess Nephrology  Joslin Diabetes Center Inc Nephrology  Beth Israel Deaconess Nephrology  Joslin Diabetes Center Inc Nephrology  Beth Israel Deaconess Nephrology  Joslin Diabetes Center Inc Nephrology  Joseph V Bonventre MD  Brigham and Women's Hospital Internal Medicine  Boston University Hospital Nephrology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Transplant Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Transplant Center  Harold S Solomon MD  Martin Pollak MD  Dennis A Ausiello MD  MGH Renal Associates  MGH Renal Associates  MGH Renal Associates  Fang & Niles MDs  MGH Renal Associates  MGH Renal Unit  MGH Beacon Hill Primary Care Outpatient Dept  Michael Gottlieb MD  Tufts Medical Center  Tufts Medical Center  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Tufts Medical Center Nephrology  Professional Medical Associates  Boston University Medical Group  Boston Medical Center Renal Section  Boston University Medical Group  Boston University Medical Group  Boston Medical Center Renal Department  Boston Medical Center Renal Department  Boston Medical Center Renal Department  Boston Medical Center Renal Department  Charles River Medical Associates  Renin Associates PC  Renin Associates PC  Renin Associates PC  Kidney & Hypertension Clinic  Ali Emami MD  Pauline Chao MD  The Medical Group Inc  The Medical Group Inc  South Suburban Dialysis Center  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Braintree  North East Specialty Hospital  Rajinder Chawla MD  Associates in Nephrology PC  Compass Medical Abington  North County Nephrology Associates  North County Nephrology Associates  Blackstone Valley Ob/Gyn  UMass Memorial Medical Center Nephrology Billerica, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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DialysisWhat is dialysis?The kidneys are responsible for filtering waste products from the blood. Dialysis is a procedure that is a substitute for many of the normal duties of the kidneys. The kidneys are two organs located on either side of the back of the abdominal cavity. Dialysis can allow individuals to live productive and useful lives, even though their kidneys no longer work adequately. In the United States, there are over 200,000 people who use dialysis techniques on an ongoing basis. Dialysis helps the body by performing the functions of failed kidneys. The kidney has many roles. An essential job of the kidney is to regulate the body's fluid balance. It does this by adjusting the amount of urine that is excreted on a daily basis. On hot days, the body sweats more. Thus, less water needs to be excreted through the kidneys. On cold days, the body sweats less. Thus, urine output needs to be greater in order to maintain the proper balance within the body. It is the kidney's job to regulate fluid balance by adjusting urine output. Another major duty of the kidney is to remove the waste products that the body produces throughout the day. As the body functions, the cells use energy. The operation of the cells produces waste products that must be removed from the body. When these waste products are not removed adequately, they build up in the body. An elevation of waste products, as measured in the blood, is called "azotemia." When waste products accumulate they, cause a sick feeling throughout the body called "uremia." When do patients require dialysis?
Recommended Reading Related to DialysisWhat is creatinine?Creatinine is a chemical waste molecule that is generated from muscle metabolism. Creatinine is produced from creatine, a molecule of major importance for energy production in muscles. Approximately 2% of the body's creatine is converted to creatinine every day. Creatinine is transported through the bloodstream to the kidneys. The kidneys filter out most of the creatinine and dispose of it in the urine. Because the muscle mass in the body is relatively constant from day to day, the creatinine production normally remains essentially unchanged on a daily basis. Why is it important to check blood creatinine levels?The kidneys maintain the blood creatinine in a normal range. Creatinine has been found to be a fairly reliable indicator of kidney function. Elevated creatinine level signifies impaired kidney function or kidney disease. As the kidneys become impaired for any reason, the creatinine level in the blo... Other Related Dialysis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Billerica
Nearby Billerica Hospitals *Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Tewksbury Hospital Lahey Clinic Medical Center Saints Medical Center HC Solomon Mental Health Center Lowell General Hospital Emerson Hospital HEALTHSOUTH New England Rehabilitation Hospital Isham Health Center Winchester Hospital McLean Hospital Lawrence General Hospital Lawrence Memorial Hospital Melrose Wakefield Hospital Caritas Holy Family Hospital and Medical Center Somerville Hospital Mount Auburn Hospital Northeast Rehabilitation Health Network North Shore Medical Center Youville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center Cambridge Hospital Whidden Memorial Hospital Caritas St Elizabeth's Medical Center Franciscan Hospital for Children Newton Wellesley Hospital Kindred Hospital Boston Nashoba Valley Medical Center Arbour HRI Hospital Lawrence F Quigley Memorial Hospital M I T Medical Baldpate Hospital Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Kindred Hospital Boston North Shore Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston Burn Hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Southern New Hampshire Medical Center Children's Hospital Boston Dana Farber Cancer Institute Brigham & Women's Hospital St Joseph Hospital Tufts New England Medical Center New England Baptist Hospital VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus Merrimack Valley Hospital Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Haverhill Boston Medical Center Salem Hospital & the Birthplace Arbour Hospital North Shore Children's Hospital Radius Specialty Hospital Boston Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital Bournewood Hospital Faulkner Hospital Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham Kindred Specialty Hospital Natick MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital Beverly Hospital Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Massachusetts Mental Health Center VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury Campus UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Union Hospital Caritas Carney Hospital Hampstead Hospital Parkland Medical Center Milton Hospital UMass Memorial Clinton Hospital Westwood Lodge Hospital Quincy Medical Center Westborough State Hospital Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Westborough HealthAlliance Hospital Leominster Campus Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Dialysis by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Kidney Failure
- Kidney failure can occur from an acute event or a chronic condition or disease. Prerenal kidney failure is caused by blood loss, dehydration, medication. Some of the renal causes of kidney failure are from sepsis, medications, rhabdomyolysis, multiple myeloma, and acute glomerulonephritis. Post renal causes of kidney failure include bladder obstruction, prostate problems, tumors, or kidney stones. Treatment options included diet, medications, or dialysis.
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Lupus
- Systemic lupus erythematosus is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of body tissues caused by autoimmune disease. Lupus can cause disease of the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints, and nervous system. When only the skin is involved, the condition is called discoid lupus. When internal organs are involved, the condition is called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
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Kidney Cancer
- There are several types of kidney cancer, including renal cell cancer (renal adenocarcinoma or hypernephroma), transitional cell carcinoma, and Wilms tumor. Symptoms of kidney cancer include blood in the urine, an abdominal lump or mass, chronic pain in the side, and tiredness. Treatment of kidney cancer--which may include surgery, arterial embolization, radiation therapy, biological therapy or chemotherapy--depends upon the stage of the disease and the patient's overall health.
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Sepsis
- Sepsis (blood poisoning) is a potentially deadly infection with signs and symptoms that include elevated heart rate, low or high temperature, rapid breathing and/or a white blood cell count that is too high or too low and has more than 10% band cells. Most cases of sepsis are caused by bacterial infections, and some cases are caused by fungal infections. Treatment requires hospitalization, IV antibiotics, and therapy to treat any organ dysfunction.
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Thrombocytopenia (Low Platelet Count)
- Thrombocytopenia refers to a decreased number of platelets in the blood. There are many causes of thrombocytopenia such as decreased platelet production (viral infections for example rubella, mumps, chickenpox, hepatitis C, and HIV); increased platelet destruction or consumption (for example sulfonamide antibiotics, heparin, blood transfusions, and lupus); or increased splenic sequestration (enlarged spleen due to conditions for example liver disease, blood cancers, and more). Treatment of thrombocytopenia depends on the cause.
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Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes chronic inflammation of the spine. The tendency to develop ankylosing spondylitis is genetically inherited.
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Encephalopathy
- Encephalopathy means brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Causes of encephalopathy are varied and numerous. The main symptom of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Other symptoms include lethargy, dementia, seizures, tremors, and coma. Treatment of encephalopathy depends on the type of encephalopathy (anoxia, diabetic, Hashimoto's, hepatic, hyper - hypotensive, infectious, metabolic, infections, uremic, or Wernicke's) are examples of types of encephalopathy.
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Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels)
- Hypercalcemia is a condition in which calcium levels in the blood are elevated. Hypercalcemia is associated with other conditions such as hyperparathyroidism, lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney failure, and elevated levels of vitamin D. Symptoms of hypercalcemia include constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, kidney stones, to name a few. Treatment depends on the cause of hypercalcemia.
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Polycystic Kidney Disease
- Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is characterized by numerous cysts in the kidneys. Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder. There are two major inherited forms of PKD, autosomal dominant PKD, and autosomal recessive PKD. Symptoms include headaches, urinary tract infections, blood in the urine, liver and pancreatic cysts, abnormal heart valves, high blood pressure, kidney stones, aneurysms, and diverticulosis. Diagnosis of PKD is generally with ultrasound, CT or MRI scan. There is no cure for PKD, so treatment of symptoms is usually the general protocol.
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Arsenic Poisoning
- Arsenic comes in two forms, inorganic and organic. Organic arsenic poisoning is usually not poisonous to humans; however, inorganic arsenic in large enough amounts can lead to shock and death. Symptoms of arsenic poisoning include nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, dark urine, vertigo, delirium, shock, and death. Treatment for arsenic poisoning includes Hemodialysis and a variety of drugs.
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Diabetes and Kidney Disease
- In the United States diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure. High blood pressure and high levels of blood glucose increase the risk that a person with diabetes will eventually progress to kidney failure. Kidney disease in people with diabetes develops over the course of many years. albumin and eGFR are two key markers for kidney disease in people with diabetes. Controlling high blood pressure, blood pressure medications, a moderate protein diet, and compliant management of blood glucose can slow the progression of kidney disease. For those patients who's kidneys eventually fail, dialysis or kidney transplantation is the only option.
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Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
- Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a diseases in which blood clots within the capillaries. Causes associated with HUS include E. Coli, birth control pills, pneumonia, medications such as chemotherapy, Ticlid, and quinine. Symptoms of HUS include gastroenteritis, abdominal cramping, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. Diagnosis of HUS includes medical history, physical examination, and medical tests. Treatment includes rest, fluids, possible hospitalization for blood transfusion or complications due to kidney failure.
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Renal Osteodystrophy
- Renal osteodystrophy is a bone disease. The kidneys fail to maintain required levels of phosphorous and calcium in the blood. Renal osteodystrophy is common in patients with kidney disease and affects dialysis patients. Diagnosis is performed with a blood sample, and in some cases a bone biopsy. Medication is the general treatment for renal osteodystrophy.
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Fabry Disease
- Fabry disease (Fabry's disease, alpha-galactosidase-A) is a genetic disorder with symptoms such as burning sensations in the hands, small-raised reddish-purplish blemishes on the skin, fever, decreases sweating, and GI difficulties. Fabry disease patients are at increased risk of heart attack, heart disease, kidney failure, and stroke. Symptoms of Fabry disease can be treated with medication.
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Kidney Dysplasia
- Kidney dysplasia is a condition in which one or both of a baby's kidneys do not develop normally. In kidney dysplasia, cysts replace normal kidney tissue. Signs of kidney dysplasia include enlarged kidneys and, rarely, high blood pressure. A child with kidney dysplasia may not have any symptoms. Genes and maternal exposure to certain drugs may cause kidney dysplasia. Regular checkups should include blood pressure measurements, kidney function tests, and urine testing for protein.
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Kidney Failure
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Medications
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Procedures & Tests
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Pictures, Images & Quizzes
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Doctor's & Expert's Views
6 articles -
Health News
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Health Features
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