Hemodiaysis Technician Terminology

Sudden onset: illness, injury or toxin. May be temporary.

Long slow process, destruction of nephrons, may not be symptomatic until advanced stage. ESRD.

End Stage Renal Disease, glomerular filtration rate decreased to 10% of normal. Complete and irreversable.

When air eters the bloodstream, and is carried to a vessel small enough to be blocked. Can be fatal.

Aluminum compound added to city water to make the water clearer, can build up in HD pts, causing ARBD.

Aluminum-Related Bone Disease, caused by prolonged aluminum exposure in diaysis water, cookware, and medications. Symptoms: deep bone pain, muscle weakness, fractures.

Build up of beta2-microglobulin. A starch-like protein that is removed by healthy kidneys. Builds up in joints, bones, tissues of some pts. Symptoms: arthritis-like joint pain, bone pain. Can be prevented/treated with high-flux dialysers.

Blood protein that regulates osmotic pressure. Low serum levals <3.5 g/dL indicates malnutrition. Is common in HD pts, increased risk of death.

Severe reaction to allergen. Symptoms: have, itching, wheezing. May devolp into anyphylactic shock : hypotension, cardiac arrhythmia/arrest, throat swelling, can be life threatning.

Another name for a surgical connection, such as AVF.

Shortage of RBC's. Common in pts, caused by: insuffinceient erythropoietin, iron deficiency, blood loss. RBC's carry oxygen to all cells in body. Symptoms: fatigue, cardiac disorders, difficulty concentrating, reduced immmune funtion, etc. Is treated with EPOGEN.

Procedure where a balloon is threaded through a blood vessel, and inflated to dialate areas of stenosis.

Means with the direction of flow (away from the anastomosis). Aterial needle can be placed EITHER anterograde or retrograde.

Heparin is a blood thinner used to prevent blood clots in circuit.

Is measured as a negative pressure between the arterial access and the blood pump. Is read as negative d/t the blood being pulled from the pt. by the pump.