A Quality Education Can Be Pursued At Dialysis Technician Schools In Los Angeles CA

By Marissa Velazquez


Renal dialysis is a treatment utilized to purify an individual's blood, if this task can no longer be efficiently completed by the person's kidneys. Many renal conditions result in such treatment becoming necessary. A hemodialysis technician manages the therapy and operates the necessary equipment used to complete the process. Individuals seeking work in this field should enroll in dialysis technician schools in Los Angeles CA.

The human kidney is a excretory organ that eliminates waste products from one's blood. Kidneys also play a major role in the proper functioning and maintenance of various complex biological mechanisms. To function appropriately, they must have proper amounts of water, oxygen, and blood. Some medications are too potent for one's renal system to efficiently process, at which point kidney failure may occur. The latter leads to the eventual buildup of hazardous byproducts and toxins in the person's blood. This occurs because the kidneys can no longer eliminate these substances.

Medications, whether over-the-counter formulas, prescription drugs, or illegal substances, are responsible for approximately 20 percent of all episodes of renal failure in adults. Among the elderly population, kidney failure related to drugs may be as high as sixty percent. This is due to the fact that renal function decreases as one ages, and therefore drugs or similar substances have a more serious effect in the elderly population.

Compared with statistics from the 1980s, today's renal patients are older, have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and high blood sugar, and take more drugs to control the symptoms and effects of various illnesses. In addition, patients of all ages are now exposed to more diagnostic procedures than ever before, many of which can impair kidney function.

Kidney failure, regardless of whether it is chronic or acute, is generally treated with hemodialysis. This is true no matter what has caused one's kidneys to fail. Hemodialysis essentially takes over for the kidneys and cleans the person's blood. Depending on the patient's general health and the severity of the kidney impairment, peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis may be recommended.

Hemodialysis is a process that must be completed 2-3 times per week at a dialysis center. A graft or fistula is used to remove small amounts of blood, and the latter is cleansed of all waste products and toxins and then replaced into the person's bloodstream through a second fistula or graft. The procedure takes about 3-4 hours to complete.

Peritoneal dialysis is performed a bit differently than the aforementioned process. Waste products are removed through the patient's abdominal lining, also referred to as the peritoneal membrane. A surgical catheter is used to complete the process. It is usually performed at home, and most patients receive such therapy twice a week. Additionally, it is a shorter process that hemodialysis, typically taking less than two hours.

Technicians employed at dialysis centers operate the machines that remove the waste material from the blood of the patient. They also prepare clients for the therapy and monitor them throughout the procedure. Such individuals may be employed at renal centers or general hospitals. Those planning a career in this field should get in touch with dialysis technician schools in Los Angeles CA to make inquiries with regard to pursuing an education.




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