Kidney failure patients face a higher risk of dying early due to cardiovascular causes. The study found that dialysis patients may have altered blood clotting, which increases their risk of bleeding and stroke.
The researchers analyzed the blood of 171 chronic hemodialysis patients and found that they had denser clot structures, compared to patients without kidney disease. Furthermore, patients with compact clots were at a higher risk of death from cardiovascular causes, along with a higher risk of mortality from other causes, too. Lastly, in dialysis patients, the protein that is actively participating in the clotting process – fibrinogen – exhibits certain modifications that are different from patients without kidney disease.
Advertisement
Researcher Katharina Schütt concluded, “Whether better dialysis treatment or medication could improve clot structure needs to be investigated in future studies.”
Related: Renal diet: Foods to eat and avoid for kidney failure
Emily Lunardo studied medical sociology at York University with a strong focus on the social determinants of health and mental illness. She is a registered Zumba instructor, as well as a Canfit Pro trainer, who teaches fitness classes on a weekly basis. Emily practices healthy habits in her own life as well as helps others with their own personal health goals. Emily joined Bel Marra Health as a health writer in 2013.
