Hemodynamic effects of hemodialysis and hemofiltration.

The hemodynamic effects (n = 8) of hemodialysis (HD) and hemofiltration (HF) were compared in the same group of dialyzed patients. The two procedures induced the same decrease in body weight, total blood volume, and blood pressure; however, hemodynamic alterations were different. Cardiac index and stroke index decreased markedly with HD and did not change significantly with HF, and peripheral resistance remained stable after HD and decreased significantly after HF. These results suggest that the maintenance of a high cardiac output may account for the lack of acute hypotensive episodes reported during HF. The reduction of blood pressure after HF is related to the decrease in total peripheral resistance. Thus, the arterial vasodilator effect induced by HF might explain the improvement of severe hypertension on long-term treatment with HF, as reported previously.