The presence of too much water in the blood and the overload of the body with fluids is called hypervolemia.
One of the main functions of our kidneys is to balance fluids in the body. However, for dialysis patients, it is unable to regulate the required ratio of salts and fluids in the body. Hypervolemia is usually the result of a health problem. However, its mild form can occur after consuming foods with too much sodium or during hormonal changes. That is why it is so important to follow a diet plan that limits the amount of sodium (salt) and fluid intake for patients with kidney problems.
The most common symptoms include:
• unexplained and rapid weight gain
• swelling of the arms and legs
• abdominal bloating
• shortness of breath
Treatment
The condition of hypervolemia is managed in several ways. The most commonly used is with diuretics (drugs that increase the amount of urine that the body produces).
It is important to note that the basis of prescribed treatment is according to the specific health problem. For example, for patients with heart failure, beside taking diuretics, additional therapy will be given.
Clinical studies have shown that in patients with severe kidney problems, diuretics do not lead to the desired result so the necessary therapy is renal replacement, such as dialysis. If you are already on dialysis, longer or more frequent dialysis procedures might be needed to remove excess fluid from your body.
People with heart, kidney or liver disease may also need a diet low in salt. This will help keeping the sodium levels within normal limits, which in turn will avoid the condition of hypervolemia.