As we all know that dialysis is an artificial kidney. It is applied to patients who have a little kidney function. Dialysis can help kidney remove excessive water and toxins in the blood. Should patients on dialysis limit water intake?

The normal kidney can regulate the water balance by remove excessive water we take. But the damaged kidney cannot do this job well. patients on dialysis should limit water intake to reduce further kidney damage and other damages.

Why patients on dialysis should limit water intake?

For those who have obvious decrease of urine, limiting water intake has such positive effects as:

a. Control blood pressure. Because the amount of water have a direct relationship with blood pressure. Over much water will lead to high blood pressure.

b. Reduce burden of heart. Excessive water will increase the burden of heart.

c. Prevent low blood pressure. Dialysis is in charge of removing the extra water in the blood. If patients take in too much water, dialysis will remove the water once, the sudden reduce of water in blood will result in low blood pressure.

For those who are on dialysis but have normal urine output, water intake should also be limited. Because of the low compensatory ability of the kidney, the patients should consult the doctor for the proper water intake. The doctor will manage a proper water amount according to your urine output. Dialysis will remove less water and discharge more toxins in the blood with less water intake, which can reduce the risk of ischemia as well as protect the residual kidney function.

Patients on dialysis should limit water intake to reduce kidney damage. But dialysis is not the treatment to reduce damage, on the contrary, the kidney damage will gradually lose on dialysis. If you want to improve kidney function, you can send an email to renal-disease@hotmail.com, the kidney doctor will provide you more treatment for kidney diseases.