HEMODIALYSIS	PERITONEAL DIALYSIS
DIET	VERY RESTRICTIVE  ESP.,  OF PROTEIN, POTASSIUM, SODIUM, PHOSPHORUS AND WATER CONSUMPTION	ESSENTIALLY UNRESTRICTED EXCEPT AT TIMES WITH SOME RESTRICTION ON PHOSPHORUS CONSUMPTION. PROTEIN MUST BE CONSUMED IN HIGH QUANTITIES!
HYPERTENSION	MOST OF THE TIME SEVERE AND REQUIRES MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS	COMPARED TO HEMODIALYSIS EASIER TO CONTROL WITH LESS MEDICATIONS
PLACE OF SERVICE	USUALLY AT OUT-PATIENT  DIALYSIS CENTERS TO WHERE THE PATIENTS SHOULD REPORT TO PER PRE-ARRANGED  SCHEDULE.	PATIENTS   DO THE PROCEDURE AT THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOME  WITH  ONCE A MONTH VISIT FOR BLOOD TESTS AND EXAMINATION BY THEIR NURSES AND PHYSICIANS.
INFECTION	DUE TO BLOOD CIRCULATING OUT SIDE  OF THE BODY, THROUGH THE ARTIFICIAL KIDNEY,  CHANCES OF CONTAMINATION EXIST. SINCE MOST OF THE PATIENTS WILL BE DIALYZED IN GROUPS COMMUNICABLE DISEASES MAY BE TRANSMITTED FROM ONE TO ANOTHER (LIKE HEPATITIS, SEPSIS)	SINCE THE PATIENT IS DOING IT AT HOME, LESS CHANCES FOR COMMUNICABLE DISEASES FROM OTHER PATIENTS.  BUT, CHANCES OF PERITONITIS IS HIGH., ESP IF THE STERILE TECHNIQUE THAT THE PATIENT HAS BEEN TAUGHT  IS VIOLATED BY ACCIDENT OR NEGLIGENCE. MOST SUCH PERITONITIS WILL BE TREATED AT HOME AND DO NOT REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION OR SURGERY.  PATIENTS ARE TAUGHT WELL   TO RECOGNIZE AND INITIATE THE TREATMENT THEMSELVES EXPEDITIOUSLY AT HOME.
EMOTIONAL STRAIN	LESS.  PATIENT MEETS WITH OTHER PATIENTS IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS THREE TIMES A WEEK DURING HIS TREATMENT SESSIONS. THIS PROVIDES ALL THE BENEFITS OF A SUPPORT GROUP WITHOUT IT BEING FORMALLY RECOGNIZED AS A SUPPORT GROUP.	MORE.  THE PATIENTS DO THE PROCEDURE EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK ALL BY THEMSELVES AT THEIR HOMES.  INTERACTION WITH OTHER PATIENTS IS ONLY THROUGH FORMAL SUPPORT GROUPS - IF ONE IS ARRANGED REGULARLY. CHANCES OF CLINICAL DEPRESSION IS HIGH.
	ON THE OTHER HAND, BEING DEPENDANT ON A MACHINE, NURSES AND DOCTORS MIGHT TAKE AWAY THE FEELING OF BEING INDEPENDENT AND IN CONTROL OF THEIR OWN HEALTH.	ON THE OTHER HAND, BEING INDEPENDENT AND BEING IN CONTROL OF THEIR OWN HEALTH MIGHT MEAN A GREAT DEAL TO MANY.
DIABETES MELLITUS	PATIENTS WITH DIABETES, SOON AFTER STARTING HEMODIALYSIS TREATMENTS, MAY SEE THEIR INSULIN REQUIREMENT GO DOWN. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON THAT SOME OF THEM MAY NOT NEED ANY INSULIN AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS ON HEMODIALYSIS.	DUE TO THE HIGH SUGAR CONTENT OF THE DIALYSATE USED IN THE PERITONEAL DIALYSIS (FROM 1500 MGS TO 4250 MGS PER 100 ML) DIABETIC CONTROL MAY REQUIRE MORE INSULIN  AND ALTERED TIME AND ADMINISTRATION OF IT.
BODY IMAGE	THE PERMANENT VESSEL ACCESS FOR THE HEMODIALYSIS IS IMPLANTED UNDER THE SKIN AND NOTHING STICKS OUT.	NEEDS A PLASTIC TUBE IMPLANTED IN THE ABDOMEN - ABOUT 6 TO 7 INCHES OF IT STICKS OUT PERMANENTLY. AT TIMES THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR SOME, ESP., YOUNG WOMEN,  AS IT DISTORTS THEIR BODY IMAGE.
HEART	300 TO 500 ML OF BLOOD PER MINUTE WILL BE PUMPED OUT OF THE BODY,  PROCESSED AND THEN RETURNED TO THE PATIENT.   RAPID CHEMICAL CHANGES AND CHANGES IN FLUID BALANCE WILL OCCUR DURING HEMODIALYSIS WITH CONSEQUENT CHANGES IN THE BLOOD PRESSURE.  ALL OF THESE POSE ADDITIONAL DEMAND ON THE HEART.   PATIENTS WITH SEVERE HEART DISEASE MIGHT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO TOLERATE.	SINCE IT IS A SLOW CONTINUOUS PROCESS, RAPID CHEMICAL CHANGES AND RAPID CHANGES IN THE FLUID BALANCE DO NOT OCCUR. THEREFORE, IT POSES LESS DEMAND ON THE HEART AND CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM.
TRAVEL PLANS	ANYWHERE WITHIN THE 50 STATES IS POSSIBLE.  BUT NEED TO FIND A DIALYSIS UNIT AND MAKE 'RESERVATION' AHEAD.  OCCASIONALLY, THE DIALYSIS UNIT IN THE TOWN/CITY OF DESTINATION MAY BE FULL AND WILL NOT ACCEPT A TRAVELLING PATIENT.	NO NEED TO FIND A DIALYSIS UNIT AT THE DESTINATION.   NECESSARY BULKY SUPPLIES (IF THE STAY IS A LENGTHY ONE) COULD BE ARRANGED TO BE DELIVERED AT THE TOWN/CITY TRAVELLING TO.