Dialysis is a procedure that performs many of the normal duties of the kidneys, like filtering waste products from the blood, when the kidneys no longer work adequately. There are two types of dialysis: Hemodialysis uses a filter to remove waste products and water from the body; and peritoneal dialysis removes excess waste and fluid with a fluid that is placed into the patient's stomach cavity through a special plastic tube. Read more: Dialysis Article
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
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Kidney Disease Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
Kidney disease is common. Take this kidney disease quiz to test your knowledge and learn the symptoms, causes and types of kidney...
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Picture of Kidneys
The kidneys are a pair of organs located in the back of the abdomen. See a picture of the Kidneys and learn more about the health...
SLIDESHOW
Urine: What Your Pee Says About Your Health See SlideshowRelated Disease Conditions
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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...
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Kidney Cancer
There are several types of kidney cancer, including renal cell cancer (renal adenocarcinoma or hypernephroma), transitional cell...
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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....
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Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is characterized by numerous cysts in the kidneys. Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic...
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Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE)
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of body tissues caused by autoimmune disease....
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Hyperparathyroidism
Hyperparathyroidism is a disorder of the parathyroid glands. There are two types of hyperparathyroidism, primary and secondary....
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Fabry Disease (Symptoms and Life Expectancy)
Fabry disease (Fabry's disease, alpha-galactosidase-A) is a genetic disorder with symptoms such as burning sensations in...
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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...
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E. coli (0157:H7) (Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention)
There are many types of E. coli (Escherichia coli). E. coli can cause urinary tract and bladder infections, or lead to sepsis. E...
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Cystinuria
Cystinuria is a common genetic condition that causes excess buildup of the cystine protein in the urine. Cystinuria leads to the...
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Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Superior vena cava syndrome is compression of the superior vena cava vein located in the upper chest. Causes of superior vena...
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Kidney Failure (Symptoms, Signs, Stages, Causes, Treatment, and Life Expectancy)
Kidney failure can occur from an acute event or a chronic condition or disease. Prerenal kidney failure is caused by blood loss,...
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Hypertensive Kidney Disease
High blood pressure can damage the kidneys and is one of the leading causes of kidney failure (end-stage renal kidney disease)....
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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...
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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...
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Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)
Toxic shock syndrome is an infection that causes symptoms such as low blood pressure, fever, and a rash with peeling skin....
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Rhabdomyolysis
Rhabdomyolysis is a rapid deterioration and destruction of skeletal muscle. Some of the causes of rhabdomyolysis include:...
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Thrombocytopenia (Low Platelet Count)
Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) refers to a decreased number of platelets in the blood. Symptoms of thrombocytopenia...
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Encephalopathy
Encephalopathy means brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Causes of encephalopathy are varied and numerous. The main symptom of...
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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...
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Arsenic Poisoning
Arsenic comes in two forms, inorganic and organic. Organic arsenic poisoning is usually not poisonous to humans; however,...
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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...
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Affordable Care Act (ACA)
President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law on Mar. 23, 2010. The Affordable Care Act aims to control...
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Common Medical Abbreviations List (Acronyms and Definitions)
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions...
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Angiomyolipoma
Angiomyolipomas are noncancerous tumors that are typically found in the kidney, but may occur in the liver, ovary, colon, or...
Treatment & Diagnosis
Medications & Supplements
- folic acid (folate, vitamin B9, FA-8, Folacin, Folic Acid, GNC Folic Acid 400, and many more)
- levocarnitine - injection, Carnitor
- calcium acetate (PhosLo)
- levocarnitine (Carnitor)
- albumin human (Albuked-5, Albuked-25, Albuminar-5, Albuminar-25, Alburx, Albutein, Buminate)
- sevelamer - oral, Renagel, Renvela
- calcitriol - injection, Calcijex
Prevention & Wellness
- Half of Older Dialysis Patients Die Within a Year, Study Finds
- Lab-Grown Blood Vessels Could Be Big Medical Advance
- Common Heartburn Drugs Linked to Broken Hips in Dialysis Patients
- Health Tip: Maintain a Healthy Heart While on Dialysis
- Dialysis Linked to Dementia in Seniors
- Fewer Dialysis Patients Facing Leg Amputations
- Hepatitis-Infected Kidneys May Be Safe New Option for Transplant
- Kidney Docs Worry Over No Dialysis for Undocumented Immigrants
- Dialysis Patients Often End Up Back in the Hospital
- Health Tip: Making End-of-Life Wishes Known
- Addictive Opioids Common for People on Dialysis
- Selena Gomez's Kidney Transplant Puts Lupus Center Stage
- Novel Procedure Improves Kidney Transplant Success
- Drug for Kidney Disease Tied to Infection Risk
- Donor Kidneys Rejected by Centers 7 Times on Average
- Thyroid Problems May Make Things Worse for Dialysis Patients
- Are Doctors Discarding Donor Kidneys That Could Save Lives?
- Catheters Often to Blame for Blood Infections After Dialysis
- 1 in 7 Americans Has Kidney Disease: CDC
- Many Dialysis Patients Get Unnecessary Colonoscopies
- Sickle Cell Trait Tied to Higher Kidney Failure Risk for Blacks
- Cutting Salt a Health Boost for Kidney Patients
- Undocumented Immigrants Often Face Tough Health Care Choices
- Depression Often Untreated in Dialysis Patients
- For Kids With Kidney Disease, Race May Play Role in Outcomes
- Dialysis Patients May Walk Their Way to Better Health
- Concern About Dialysis Safety Spurs CDC Action
- Hearing Loss Widespread, 'Progressive' in Older Americans
- Fruits, Veggies Powerful Rx for Kidney Disease: Study
- Cancer Patients, Doctors Often Disagree About Prognosis
- Too Much Red Meat Might Harm Kidneys, Study Suggests
- Coming Soon: A Wearable Artificial Kidney?
- Smoking Harms Black Americans' Kidneys, Study Suggests
- High-Salt Diets May Raise Heart Risks for Kidney Patients
- Cancer History May Affect Survival After Organ Transplant
- Medicare Spends Billions on Chronic Kidney Disease, Study Finds
- Paying for Kidneys Might Boost Donor Rate, Study Says
- Kidney Dialysis Might Not Extend Survival of Elderly
- Transplant From Incompatible Living Donor Boosts Kidney Patients' Survival
- Hepatitis C Reported at 19 Dialysis Clinics: CDC
- Online Tool Helps Predict Chances of Kidney Failure, Study Finds
- Kidney Woes Tied to Raised Cancer Risk, Study Finds
- Kidney Transplant 'Tourism' Comes With Risks: Study
- Kidney Disease Rates Have Stabilized in U.S., Study Finds
- Do Taller Patients Fare Worse on Dialysis?
- Too Few Kidney Dialysis Patients Referred for Organ Transplant, Study Finds
- Cooling Bodies of Brain-Dead Donors May Boost Kidney Function After Transplant
- Dialysis Patients May Be Unprepared for Natural Disasters
- New Drug May Help Diabetic Kidney Disease Patients
- U.S. Dialysis Patients Increasingly Live in Poor Areas
- Genes May Be Tied to Cardiac Arrest Risk in Dialysis Patients
- Kidney Patients Living Longer on Dialysis, Study Shows
- Kidney Dialysis Increasing for Pregnant Women
- Millions of Kidney Failure Patients Die for Lack of Treatment: Study
- Some Injured Kidneys May Be OK for Transplant, Study Finds
- First Device Approved for Dialysis-Related Amyloidosis
- Meat-Heavy, High-Acid Diet Poses Risk for Those With Kidney Disease: Study
- Kidneys From HIV Donors May Be OK for HIV Patients, Study Finds
- Are Too Many Heart Failure Patients Getting IV Fluids?
- 1 in 5 Younger Diabetics Lacks Good Medical Care, Study Says
- Some With Kidney Stones Might Have Calcium Buildup in Blood Vessels: Study
- Kidney Disease Treatment May Be Improving, Study Suggests
- New U.S. Kidney Transplant Rules Take Effect
- Study Supports Giving Kidney Donors Priority When They Need a Kidney
- Sleep Apnea Linked to Kidney Disease Progression in Diabetics
- Many Dialysis Patients Ill-Prepared for Emergencies, Study Says
- Women Less Likely to Get Kidney Dialysis Than Men, Study Finds
- Where Ebola Battles Are Won
- Esbriet, Ofev Approved to Treat Deadly Lung Disease
- Texas Hospital Worker Tests Positive for Ebola
- Dallas Ebola Patient on Ventilator, Getting Dialysis
- Dallas Ebola Patient Has Died, Hospital Says
- Aerobic Exercise May Boost Quality of Life for Dialysis Patients
- 'Biospleen' Suggests New Way to Treat Blood Infection
- Injected Substance Used With CT Scans Seems Safe for Kidneys: Study
- Popular Southern Fare May Harm Your Kidneys
- Younger Blacks on Dialysis Fare Worse in Poor Neighborhoods: Study
- Kidney Transplant Beats Intensive Dialysis, Study Says
- New Dialysis Machine Treats Tiniest of Newborns
- Walking Could Be Key Step Against Kidney Disease
- More Muscle May Help Kidney Dialysis Patients
- Muscle Weakness May Persist for Months After ICU Stay
- Kidney Injury During Surgery Tied to Risk of Heart Problems
- Health Tip: Need Extra Iron?
- Most Women on Kidney Dialysis OK With Their Sex Lives: Study
- Common Blood Pressure Meds May Cut Risk of Early Death in Kidney Patients: Study
- Upping Vegetable Protein Intake May Help People With Kidney Disease
- Kidney Patients May Gain From Less Salt
- Don't Routinely Test for Kidney Disease in Those Without Symptoms: Experts
- Study Sees Link Between Psoriasis, Kidney Problems
- For Dialysis Patients, It Was a Honey of An Idea
- CDC Sounds Alarm on Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
- Hospital-Acquired Infections Cost $10 Billion a Year: Study
- Health Reporter Nearly Killed by Food Poisoning
- Baby Boomers Need Hepatitis C Test, CDC Study Confirms
- Kidney Dialysis Patients May Fare Better When Docs Have Lighter Caseloads
- Black Medicaid Recipients Less Likely to Get Living-Donor Kidney: Study
- Iron Dosing Tricky for Dialysis Patients: Study
- CDC Guidelines Could Cut Bloodstream Infections From Dialysis
- Death Rate Dropping for Children on Dialysis: Study
- 'Off-the-Shelf' Artificial Blood Vessels Show Promise
- Racial Gap Seen in Survival Among Kidney Dialysis Patients
- Ultrasound Allows Early Detection of Fluid in Dialysis Patients' Lungs
- Fraudulent Data May Have Led to Use of Risky Treatment in ICUs
- 16 Cases of Kidney Damage in 6 States From Synthetic Pot: CDC
- Synthetic Marijuana Use Linked to Kidney Damage
- Daily Dialysis Has Risks, Benefits for Kidney Disease Patients
- Common Painkillers Tied to Kidney Risks for Children: Study
- Acute Kidney Injuries Up Sharply in U.S.
- U.S. Task Force: Baby Boomers Should Be Tested for Hepatitis C
- Reduced Kidney Function Tied to Mental Decline
- Adult Kidney Failure Tied to Excess Weight as Teen
- New West Nile Threat: Kidney Disease
- CDC: All Baby Boomers Should Get Screened for Hepatitis C
- Effects of High Blood Pressure Drug May Mimic Celiac Disease
- Weight-Loss Surgery May Improve Diabetes-Related Kidney Damage
- High Rates of Untreated Kidney Failure Seen in Elderly
- More Families Seek Kidney Donations on Facebook
- Routine Kidney Disease Screening Not Worthwhile, Experts Say
- Donor Kidney Re-Used in Second Patient After Failing in First
- Role of Screening, Monitoring in Early Kidney Disease Unclear
- Women on Dialysis May Experience Sexual Problems: Survey
- Physician Groups Call for Fewer Medical Tests
- Omontys Approved for Anemic People With Kidney Disease
- U.S. Underestimates Long-Term Costs of Obesity, Experts Say
- More Kidney Dialysis Is Better, Research Finds
- Novel Hepatitis C Vaccine Shows Some Early Promise
- Few With Acute Kidney Injury See Specialists, Study Finds
- Too Much Acetaminophen Over Time May Damage Liver
- Racial Disparities Still Exist for Kidney Recipients, Study Finds
- Health Highlights: Oct. 19, 2011
- FDA: Osteoporosis Drug Reclast Ups Kidney Failure Risk
- FDA: New Warning for Procrit, Epogen, Aranesp
- Energy Drink-Vodka Combo Nearly Kills Teen
- FAQ: How Government Shutdown Affects Your Health
- Study: African-Americans Live Longer After Stroke
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