Not Enough Dialysis?

Since the 1960s, many people with failing kidneys have had their blood cleaned by machine three times a week. The schedule was meant to give patients a weekend break from dialysis sessions, which can last several hours. Now, an analysis of medical records from 32,000 patients has found that the two-day break may lead to more heart attacks and deaths, presumably from the build-up of toxins in the blood. On the day after a long break, hospital admissions for stroke and heart-related problems occurred in 44 of every 100 patients, compared with 20 of every 100 patients on other days of the week. But increasing the frequency of dialysis sessions could cost billions. The study was published September 22 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The Associated Press wrote about it the same day.