Dialysis in Older Patients

Abstract
Older persons with chronic uremia tolerate hemodialysis or a renal transplant as well as younger patients. However, this is not true in acute renal failure. One of the most distressing problems during hemodialysis in elderly patients with acute uremia is aspiration pneumonitis with respiratory arrest. Most problems with dialysis for patients past age 50 are related to illnesses more common in older persons.