FAQs - Hemodialysis (HD)

In hemodialysis, wastes are removed from the blood by travelling through a barrier (called a membrane) in the filter of the dialysis machine, which allows wastes to pass through but aims to keep important parts of the blood, like blood cells and protein, in the bloodstream. One challenge of this approach is that some larger wastes (called middle-molecular-weight molecules), do not pass through the barrier very well. The build-up of these wastes may increase the risk of health problems, including for heart health.