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The kidney's perform 6 important functions:

1. Fluid and electrolyte balance through filtration, re-absorption and secretion. An overabundance of either can be fatal.

2. Removal of waste and excess water. This is arguably the most important function of the kidney. When a kidney does not function some or all of the fluids that go into the body are not expelled and go into the blood stream. This causes strain on the heart because it has a greater volume of fluid to pump which can lead to the muscle to become weakened or stop all together if the excess fluid volume is great eighth kidneys also remove blood urea nitrogen (end product of protein metabolism), creatinine (waste product of muscle metabolism) and drugs that are metabolized by the kidney and excreted in the urine.

3. Maintenance of acid/base balance in the blood stream to keep the pH balance between 7.35 and 7.45.

4. Production of erythropoetin, which stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.

5.controls blood pressure by regulating sodium and water in the body as well as producing the hormone renin which also aids in controlling blood pressure.

6. The conversion of vitamin D to active form to keep bones strong.

Dialysis and medications and diet can help keep the body close to it's equilibrium. In the case of hemodialysis, the blood cycles through a machine and passes though a filter called a dialyzer that removes excess "toxins" (excess electrolytes, chemicals and waste) and water in the blood stream. Along with the filter, the blood is cleaned with an acid/base solution of sodium bicarbonate and potassium acid that keeps pH in range.
To reproduce the erythropoetin and active vitamin D most patients on dialysis are prescribed the Epogen (stimulates bone marrow to produce red blood cells) and Hecterol (active vitamin D supplement The removal of excess water during the dialysis process aids in lowering blood pressure but many patients are prescribed blood pressure lowering medications. Diet regulation is recommended because dialysis can only remove so many toxins in the body and an excess of something like potassium is easily fatal in people with kidney failure.

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15y ago

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Why did willen kolff invent kidney dialysis?

He built the artificial kidney and then he discovered the dialisis machine.


What treatment is used for people who have kidneys that no longer can filter waste from the blood?

For people with kidneys that can no longer filter waste from the blood, treatments such as dialysis or kidney transplant are often recommended. Dialysis is a process that filters waste and excess fluids from the blood, while a kidney transplant involves replacing the failed kidney with a healthy one from a donor. Both treatments can help manage the condition and improve overall health and quality of life.


Can you have hell pain if your Kinneys are not working right?

Yes but tou can help your kidney with something called dialysis


How does one get a dialysis technician certification?

Earning your dialysis technician certification can help demonstrate your expertise and knowledge in this profession; it may also help to improve your employment prospects in the years to come. More and more people are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease each year. The demand for individuals who hold a dialysis technician certification is expected to increase steadily. This growing demand is mainly due to an increase in kidney disease caused by an aging population.


Where can one go to find out about the various jobs associated with dialysis patients?

Home Dialysis Central would be an obvious choice but you can always try out the National Kidney Foundation. They have great staff to help you find the job that is right for you.


Why would you need to get a kidney transplant?

If a kidney does not work properly, some patients are put on dialysis, a machine that will do the work of the kidneys - filtering germs and other things from the body. Other times, people receive a kidney transplant. This is when the kidney of someone else is put into your body to work for you.


Use of a machine that filters waste from the blood?

A machine used to filter waste from the blood is called a dialysis machine. It works by mimicking the function of the kidneys to remove excess waste, salt, and water from the blood. Dialysis is typically used for individuals with kidney failure to help maintain proper balance of electrolytes and fluid levels in the body.


How are dialysis bags used in medicine?

Dialysis bags are used to help patients with kidney failure. Tubes are inserted to the patients and filter harmful and large molecules allowing the small, desired ones to pass by as a kidney would.


Why dialises tubing used to treat induisionls with damaged kidneys?

No, not the tubing. However the dialysis process or treatment (the tubing is part of the machinery) can help individuals with damaged kidneys. Dialysis mimics what the kidney do to clean the blood.


What type of machine is used to help people with kidney malfunctions?

The dialysis machine is the machine that performs dialysis of the blood. Dialysis removes the waste product from the blood by drawing it through a vein in the forearm called the arterio-venous fistula. The blood is pumped into the machine through plastic tubes and then goes through a series of events that cleanses the blood with a saline solution called dialysate. Once the blood has been cleansed, it is returned to the body.


Does dialysis require energy?

Yes, dialysis does require energy. Please refer online to dialysis and blood transfusion. This might help.


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Earning your dialysis technician certification can help demonstrate your expertise and knowledge in this profession; it may also help to improve your employment prospects in the years to come. More and more people are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease each year. The demand for individuals who hold a dialysis technician certification is expected to increase steadily. This growing demand is mainly due to an increase in kidney disease caused by an aging population.