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How Much Do You Know about Dialysis?

The kidney's main job is to get rid of extra fluid and waste material in your blood. Kidneys harmed by disease, injury, or birth defects lose their filtering ability. This lets dangerous levels of fluid and waste build up. This is known as kidney or renal failure (end-stage renal disease). A person with kidney failure needs dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. Learn more about dialysis by taking this quiz. It is based on information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

1. Hemodialysis rids your body of harmful wastes. What else does hemodialysis remove?
2. What is the filter called that acts as an artificial kidney in hemodialysis?
3. How often must hemodialysis usually be done?
4. Where is hemodialysis done?
5. What is a common side effect for hemodialysis?
6. Which dietary mineral must be limited for a person on hemodialysis?
7. Another way to clean the blood is called peritoneal dialysis. Which part of the body acts as a filter for this method?
8. What is a common problem with peritoneal dialysis?
9. How does the diet for someone on peritoneal dialysis differ from the one for hemodialysis?