ANTIARRHYTHMIC EFFECTS OF PROFILING THE POTASSIUM CONCENTRATION IN DIALYSATE

Abstract

Preliminary investigations of the antiarrhythmic effect of stepwise profiling potassium in dialysate were analyzed and an effort was made to establish a category of patients who had to change the standard dialysis program. Eight stable patients on programmed out-patient clinic hemodialysis were examined. Two series, 16 investigations each, were carried on in two stages. The content of potassium was different at different stages of the investigation. The dialysate with the standard content of potassium - 2.0 mmol/l - was used during the first stage. In the second stage three variants of dialysate were used during hemodialysis: the potassium content 3.0 mmol/l, 2.5 mmol/l and 2.0 mmol/l. Heartarrhythmiaswere noted in 43.8% during the dialysis procedure on a standard dialysate without profiling. The dialysis with potassium profiling in the dialysate was followed by heart arrhythmias in 12.5%. Certain regularities in the blood serum potassium concentration before dialysis and the potassium gradient during the first two hours of dialysis were detected in cases of the development of arrhythmias during dialysis or without them.