Abstract
According to the recent advance in technology of hemodialysis (HD), the survival rate of longterm HD was prolonged. However, there is a number of medical complications during longterm HD and it is not infrequent that some of the dialysis complications induce fatal outcome. The highest mortality among the dialysis patients in this country is heart failure, and the second is cerebrovascular accident. The complications of cardiovascular system of the dialysis patients, were discussed.
(1) Heart failure
It maybe considered that most of the symptoms similar to left-side heart failure are pulmonary congestion due to fluid overload. Diminished cardiac contraction in the real heart failure secondary cardiac disease is not frequently seen in the dialysis patients.
(2) Pericarditis
The pathogenesis of pericarditis is not simple but it is considered that uremic multiple serositis may participate.
(3) Abnormality of blood pressure
Abnormality of blood pressure regulation, either hypertension or hypotension, may be due to change of regulatory mechanism of the central and peripheral circulation, mainly resulting from the factors such as fluid overload, peripheral vascular resistance, humoral and neurogenic control, etc.
(4) Arrhythmia
Pathogenesis causing arrhythmia may be related to abnormal electrolytes, anemia, cardiac load due to ultrafiltration during HD, uremic cardiomyopathy, and effect of drugs like cardiac glycosides.
