Question:easy
The most common acute complication of dialysis is:
The most common acute complication of dialysis is:
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Think of the immediate drop in blood pressure caused by rapid fluid removal during a dialysis session.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Hypotension
- Bleeding
- Dementia
- Muscle cramps
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: During a dialysis session fluid is pulled out of the vascular space faster than it can be replenished from the tissues.
Step 2: When intravascular volume falls and the cardiovascular compensatory mechanisms (vasoconstriction, autonomic reflexes) cannot keep up, blood pressure drops. This intradialytic hypotension is seen most often, and diabetics with autonomic neuropathy are particularly vulnerable.
Step 3: Comparing the choices: bleeding relates to heparin use, cramps to rapid sodium and volume shifts, and dementia to long-term aluminium toxicity. None matches the frequency of hypotension during the procedure.
Step 4: So the leading acute event is a fall in blood pressure.
\[\boxed{\text{Hypotension}}\]
Step 2: When intravascular volume falls and the cardiovascular compensatory mechanisms (vasoconstriction, autonomic reflexes) cannot keep up, blood pressure drops. This intradialytic hypotension is seen most often, and diabetics with autonomic neuropathy are particularly vulnerable.
Step 3: Comparing the choices: bleeding relates to heparin use, cramps to rapid sodium and volume shifts, and dementia to long-term aluminium toxicity. None matches the frequency of hypotension during the procedure.
Step 4: So the leading acute event is a fall in blood pressure.
\[\boxed{\text{Hypotension}}\]
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