Acid

A chemical compound that, when dissolved in water, produces a solution with a higher activity than pure water, ie a ph less than 7.

Adynamia

Episode of weakness or loss of muscle strength after physical exercise or prolonged fasting. It is accompanied by difficulty in muscle relaxation (myotonia) on the tongue, hands and eyelids, and is favored by cold.

Anorexia

Loss of appetite or poor appetite, may be due to uremic syndrome (urea the poisoning).

Artificial kidney

System that replaces the function of the kidneys in the case of acute or chronic kidney failure. It basically consists of a machine, a dialyzer, concentrated liquid, tubes or lines for the external circulation of the blood, and some access to blood vessels (catheter or fistula) devices.

Asterixis

Medical term describing a neuromuscular disorder that involves involuntary muscle contracture, also called a flapping tremor.

Biocompatibility

Ability of a material to generate an appropriate biological response to applied on a fabric with an adequate response in the host.

Catheter

Flexible tube that enters or leaves the body. The catheters can be used to drain body fluids (a urinary catheter drains urine) or to administer fluids or medications through a vein (central venous catheter).

Cramp

Sudden painful contraction of a muscle or group of them. May be due to insufficient oxygenation of the muscles or loss of fluids and minerals for a prolonged effort, sudden movements or cold.

Creatinine

Product in the blood that occurs from protein breaking down.

Diabetes

Disease in which your blood glucose (sugar) of the blood are too high.

Dialyzer

Cylindrical container of about 40 cm long, within which there are number very high fine semi-permeable capillaries, is the main of hemodialysis element, because that is where the filtration of the blood is.

Dizziness

A set of symptoms ranging from feeling that you might faint, being unsteady, losing balance, feeling that one or the room is spinning or moving, or noted "stunned".

Drowsiness

Feeling unusually sleepy during the day. It can be caused by anxiety, depression, stress, circulatory lesions, chronic uremia and diabetic acidosis.

Edema

Asoft swelling edema is a part of the body that results from the accumulation of fluid in body tissues. Edema occur especially in the tissues of the body, feet, ankles, face, hands and legs.

Erythropoietin

Hormone that promotes the creation of red blood cells.

Fainting

Also called syncope or fainting, is manifested by a brief loss of consciousness due to not enough oxygen throughout the brain by a transient decrease in blood supply.

Fatigue

Symptom characterized by tiredness, fatigue and physical weakness can be caused by anemia.

Fistula

Abnormal connection between an artery and a vein. In patients with renal insufficiency, were intentionally performed an arteriovenous fistula between a vein and an artery near the arm. This procedure ensures that the vein is wider, which facilitates the insertion of needles and allows the flow of blood to the hemodialysis machine is higher.

Fistulografia

X-ray with contrast dye to study the fistula and the veins of that limb.

Hemostasis

Set of mechanisms suitable for stop the bleeding process is obtained with a soft compression directly over the point of puncture.

Heparin

Substance that interferes with the process of blood clotting prevents the formation of clots.

Hemodialysis

Treatment is to filter excess fluid and toxins from the body by the passage of the patient´s blood through a filter periodically.

Hemoglobin

Substance in red blood cells that gives blood its characteristic red color, contains iron and protein. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs.

Hypertension

Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure.

Hypotension

Abnormal condition in which a person's blood pressure is much lower than usual. In hemodialysis reflects the lack of tolerance to the amount of fluid removed during the session in relation to plasma volume.

Itching

Tingling, burning or itching of the skin that makes you want to scratch, can be reached in one area or generalized. In patients with kidney disease can be caused by iron deficiency anemia or dry skin.

Kidney failure

Occurs when the kidneys cannot adequately remove debris, causing the accumulation of toxins and fluid in the body.

Lupus erythematosus (sle)

Is a chronic autoimmune disorder that can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain and other organs.

Nausea

Sensation of urge to vomit. In hemodialysis is closely related to hypotension

Nephrologist

A doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease.

Objective of hemodialysis

Extract nitrogenous toxic substances from the blood and remove excess water to try to improve the quality of life of the patient.

Oliguria

Decreased production of urine.

Parathyroid hormone (pth)

Protein hormone secreted by the parathyroid gland, controls the levels of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin d in the blood and bone.

Period of maturation of a fistula

Hormigueo, irritación o picazón de la piel que provoca el deseo de rascarse, puede ser localizado en una sola área o generalizado. En pacientes con enfermedad renal puede ser ocasionado por anemia ferropénica o resequedad de la piel.

Reverse osmosis

Physical phenomenon which consists in separating one component of another in a solution, through forces exerted on a semipermeable membrane. The end result is that water passes from the area of low concentration to high concentration and vice versa.

Recirculation

Is defined as the amounts of blood already dialyzed that since the departure of the dialyzer back and again enter the dialyzer without passing through the capillary microcirculation of the body.

Sodium bicarbonate

Compound white crystalline solid readily soluble in water, slightly alkaline taste like sodium carbonate, of formula nahco3.

Unipuncion

Technique of hemodialysis conducted using a shot of blood, rather than the usual double takes. It is more comfortable for the patient, but it decreases the efficiency of dialysis for a reduction in the volume of total blood flowing through the dialyzer and the frequent recirculation of the blood already dialyzed to the blood line.

Urea

Rich waste product of nitrogen that occurs in the process of protein degradation.

Uremic breath

Urinous odor in the mouth, caused by the splitting of urea and its transformation into ammonia by bacteria in the mouth. The patient perceives this as an unpleasant metallic taste.

Vascular access

Anatomical point where it will be accessed to the renal patient's bloodstream where will be extracted and will return once the blood has gone through the extracorporeal circuit. There are three types (catheters, fistulas and grafts).

Vomiting

Force the contents of the stomach up through the esophagus and out of the mouth.