Renal dialysis is a treatment utilized to purify an individual's blood, if this task can no longer be efficiently completed by the person's kidneys. Many renal conditions result in such treatment becoming necessary. A hemodialysis technician manages the therapy and operates the necessary equipment used to complete the process. Individuals seeking work in this field should enroll in dialysis technician schools in Los Angeles CA.
Human kidneys are excretory organs that filter waste products from the bloodstream. They also play a vital role in the maintenance and proper functioning of several complicated biological mechanisms. To work properly, kidneys must have appropriate amounts of water, blood, and oxygen. Certain medications are too strong for the kidneys to process efficiently, at which point renal function becomes impaired and one's blood will eventually be overcome by toxins and other hazardous byproducts that the kidneys typically eliminate.
Medications, whether over-the-counter formulas, prescription drugs, or illegal substances, are responsible for approximately 20 percent of all episodes of renal failure in adults. Among the elderly population, kidney failure related to drugs may be as high as sixty percent. This is due to the fact that renal function decreases as one ages, and therefore drugs or similar substances have a more serious effect in the elderly population.
When compared to data gathered in the 1980s, today's kidney patients are older, on more medications to control symptoms of numerous illnesses, and have greater incidences of heart disease and diabetes. Additionally, patients of all age groups now participate in more diagnostic procedures than in previous decades, many of which can result in decreased renal function.
Kidney failure, whether acute or chronic, is typically treated with hemodialysis, regardless of its cause. The latter is a blood cleaning procedure that essentially does the work of the non-functioning kidneys. Depending on the severity of the renal impairment and the patient's health otherwise, he or she will be placed on either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
Most individuals must visit a renal center when hemodialysis is indicated. The latter is usually performed two or three times a week. A fistula or graft is used to remove small amounts of blood from the person's bloodstream, which is then cleaned and replaced through a different fistula or graft. Three to four hours is the traditional time frame necessary to complete the process.
Peritoneal dialysis is performed a bit differently than the aforementioned process. Waste products are removed through the patient's abdominal lining, also referred to as the peritoneal membrane. A surgical catheter is used to complete the process. It is usually performed at home, and most patients receive such therapy twice a week. Additionally, it is a shorter process that hemodialysis, typically taking less than two hours.
A technician who works at a dialysis center operates the equipment that removes waste material from the patient's blood. He or she also prepares clients for treatment and monitors them during the process. Such an individual may work at a general hospital or renal center. Anyone who is interested in pursuing such a career should contact dialysis technician schools in Los Angeles CA for more information.
Human kidneys are excretory organs that filter waste products from the bloodstream. They also play a vital role in the maintenance and proper functioning of several complicated biological mechanisms. To work properly, kidneys must have appropriate amounts of water, blood, and oxygen. Certain medications are too strong for the kidneys to process efficiently, at which point renal function becomes impaired and one's blood will eventually be overcome by toxins and other hazardous byproducts that the kidneys typically eliminate.
Medications, whether over-the-counter formulas, prescription drugs, or illegal substances, are responsible for approximately 20 percent of all episodes of renal failure in adults. Among the elderly population, kidney failure related to drugs may be as high as sixty percent. This is due to the fact that renal function decreases as one ages, and therefore drugs or similar substances have a more serious effect in the elderly population.
When compared to data gathered in the 1980s, today's kidney patients are older, on more medications to control symptoms of numerous illnesses, and have greater incidences of heart disease and diabetes. Additionally, patients of all age groups now participate in more diagnostic procedures than in previous decades, many of which can result in decreased renal function.
Kidney failure, whether acute or chronic, is typically treated with hemodialysis, regardless of its cause. The latter is a blood cleaning procedure that essentially does the work of the non-functioning kidneys. Depending on the severity of the renal impairment and the patient's health otherwise, he or she will be placed on either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
Most individuals must visit a renal center when hemodialysis is indicated. The latter is usually performed two or three times a week. A fistula or graft is used to remove small amounts of blood from the person's bloodstream, which is then cleaned and replaced through a different fistula or graft. Three to four hours is the traditional time frame necessary to complete the process.
Peritoneal dialysis is performed a bit differently than the aforementioned process. Waste products are removed through the patient's abdominal lining, also referred to as the peritoneal membrane. A surgical catheter is used to complete the process. It is usually performed at home, and most patients receive such therapy twice a week. Additionally, it is a shorter process that hemodialysis, typically taking less than two hours.
A technician who works at a dialysis center operates the equipment that removes waste material from the patient's blood. He or she also prepares clients for treatment and monitors them during the process. Such an individual may work at a general hospital or renal center. Anyone who is interested in pursuing such a career should contact dialysis technician schools in Los Angeles CA for more information.
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