Effects of one year of hemodialysis on weight and blood pressure in 434 patients

Excess volume is thought to be the major mechanism leading to hypertension in the hemodialysis population. Blood pressure measurements and volume parameters were obtained in 434 hemodialysis patients in 1994 and compared to their 1993 data. Equal numbers of patients were receiving antihypertensive treatment in both 1993 and 1994. The predialysis mean arterial pressure (pre-MAP) did not significantly change after 1 year of dialysis. The lack of change in blood pressure was evident in those who either lost or maintained body weight. There was no correlation between changes in interdialytic weight and changes in pre-MAP over 1 year. Volume sensitivity (described as the percentage decrease in blood pressure immediately after dialysis) was not different in 1993 from 1994. We conclude that irrespective of weight changes, the average hemodialysis patient does not show a significant change in blood pressure (BP) after 1 year of dialysis. This lack of improvement was evident regardless of age, sex, race, dialysis duration, or etiology of end-stage renal disease.