CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA IN DIALYSIS PATIENTS

INTRODUCTION: Dialysis patients have high mortality rate which half of them is due to cardiac arrhythmias. Some clinicians fear dialyzing patients because of new arrhythmias occurrence during dialysis which may cause sudden deaths. Controlling the most common arrhythmias and managing the causes can help to reduce the mortality in these patients. METHODS: All patients who have done dialysis in two centers in Kerman were studied. The known cardiac patients and consumers of antiarrhythmia drugs were excluded. The patients were monitored 24 hours before dialysis and during dialysis. RESULTS: The Mean age of patients was 47.9 year. The most common arrhythmias found before and during dialysis Were PVC and PAC (64% and 40% respectively). The prevalence of AF rhythm was 2.7%. QT interval has no significant increase in dialysis patients. There was no significant relation between PAC and PVC numbers before and during dialysis. The prevalence of these arrhythmias did not have significant relationship with Ions changes, the duration and quality of dialysis, severity of anemia and also demographic factors. CONCLUSION: Arrhythmias rate did not increase during dialysis so the dialysis itself is not a leading risk factor for arrhythmias.