Question

4. A patient is scheduled for hemodialysis and has a blood sample taken for lab work. Examine Table 4 and discuss how the dialysis procedure will adjust this patient's blood. TABLE 4 The Composition of Dialysis Fluid Component ELECTROLYTES (mEq/L) Chloride Sodium Potassium Bicarbonate NUTRIENTS (mg/dL) Glucose NITROGENOUS WASTES (mg/dL) Patient's Blood Plasma Dialysis Fluid 92 100 155 135 27 36 155 125 94 Urea Creatinine

Answer 1

The dialyzer, or filter, has two parts, one for your blood and one for a washing fluid called dialysate. A thin membrane separates these two parts. Blood cells, protein and other important things remain in your blood because they are too big to pass through the membrane. Smaller waste products in the blood, such as urea, creatinine, potassium and extra fluid pass through the membrane and are washed away

The purpose of dialysate is to pull toxins from the blood into the dialysate. The way this works is through a process called diffusion. In the blood of the hemodialysis patient, there is a high concentration of waste, while the dialysate has a low concentration of waste. Due to the difference in concentration, the waste will move through the semipermeable membrane to create an equal amount on both sides. The dialysis solution is then flushed down the drain along with the waste.

As in the case of above patient as the concentration of sodium, glucose, urea, creatinine is more in patients blood, they will move along the concentration gradient through the membrane and removed from the body, thus stabilizing its level in the patient's blood.