|  | Conditions Treatments | Blood Disorders

What Is Dialysis Disequilibrium?

Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome is a central nervous system disorder that may produce seizures in some dialysis patients. This condition is most common with older and younger patients or new patients starting dialysis.

  1. Symptoms

    • Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, headache, seizures, blurred vision and muscle cramps. Should these symptoms occur during dialysis, it is possible the patient has dialysis disequilibrium. The patient should tell his doctor so he can investigate further. A patient with epilepsy or other seizure conditions should inform his doctor of these ailments before dialysis.

    BUN

    • Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) is removal of urea, nitrogen and other blood contaminants by dialysis. A blood flow rate during dialysis that is too high may cause the condition. Water movement in the brain causes the symptoms. This is to do with the removal of urea in the blood during the dialysis treatment.

    Treatment

    • New patients are at the highest risk and prevention is best. The dialysis may use lower blood flow rates and not remove as much BUN at a time, but do dialysis treatments more frequently.

Blood Disorders - Related Articles