Skip to main content
  1. Careers
  2. Resource Center
  3. About Us
  4. Contact Us
  5. Español
Thrive On
Fresenius Kidney Care
  • PatientHub
  • Community

Find a Dialysis Center

Find a Dialysis Center

Find a Dialysis Center
Permission to detect location was denied Current location could not be determined
    Try a detailed search

    Need help? Call 1-888-373-1470

    1. About Kidney Disease
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
      3. Kidney Disease Stages
      4. What Is a Nephrologist?
      5. What to Expect with CKD
      6. Kidney Disease Management
      7. Understanding Acute Kidney Injury
      8. How Kidneys Work
      9. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
    2. Treatments
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Dialysis Basics
      3. Benefits of Home Dialysis
      4. Home Peritoneal Dialysis
      5. Home Hemodialysis
      6. Sign up to Talk to a Home Dialysis Expert
      7. In-Center Hemodialysis
      8. Transplant
      9. Insurance & Managing Costs
      10. Choosing Not to Treat
    3. Life On Dialysis
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Your Emotional Health While on Dialysis
      3. Staying Engaged
      4. Staying Healthy
      5. Dialysis Travel Services and Information
      6. Tips for Loved Ones
      7. PatientHub
    4. Recipes & Nutrition
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Recipes
      3. Managing Your Diet
      4. Fluid Management on Dialysis
      5. Dialysis Diet Planning
      6. Cookbooks
    5. Thrive Central
      1. CKD
      2. Dialysis
      3. Diet & Nutrition
      4. Stories
      5. Wellness
      6. See All
    COMMUNITY
    PATIENTHUB
    HOME
    1. I Have Kidney Disease
    2. I’m Preparing For Dialysis
    3. I’m on Dialysis
    1. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
    2. Resource Center
    3. Recipes
    4. Request Patient Travel Services Information
    5. Sign Up for Our Newsletter

    Find a Dialysis Center

    Find a Dialysis Center

    Find a Dialysis Center
    Permission to detect location was denied Current location could not be determined
      Try a detailed search

      Need help? Call 1-888-373-1470

      1. About Us
      2. Contact Us
      3. FAQ
      4. Glossary
      5. Media
      6. Careers
      7. Español

      Need help? Call
      1-888-373-1470

      • facebook
      • twitter
      • youtube
      1. About Kidney Disease
        1. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
          1. Symptoms
          2. Risk Factors
          3. Causes
          4. Diagnosis and Testing
          5. GFR Calculator
        2. Kidney Disease Stages
          1. Stage 1
          2. Stage 2
          3. Stage 3
          4. Stage 4
          5. Stage 5
        3. What Is a Nephrologist?
        4. What to Expect with CKD
        5. Kidney Disease Management
          1. Kidney Diet Basics
          2. CKD Medications
          3. Your Kidney Care Team
          4. Diabetes
          5. High Blood Pressure
        6. Understanding Acute Kidney Injury
          1. Acute Kidney Injury Treatment and Recovery
        7. How Kidneys Work
        8. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
      2. Treatments
        1. Dialysis Basics
          1. How Does a Hemodialysis Machine Work
          2. Starting Dialysis
          3. Types of Dialysis Access
          4. Your Care Plan
          5. Dialysis Medications
          6. Monitoring Your Lab Results
        2. Benefits of Home Dialysis
        3. Home Peritoneal Dialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. PD Access
          4. PD Training
          5. PD Monitoring
          6. Your Care Team
        4. Home Hemodialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. HD Training
          4. HD Monitoring
          5. Your Care Team
        5. Sign up to Talk to a Home Dialysis Expert
        6. In-Center Hemodialysis
          1. In-Center Treatment Options
          2. What to Expect
          3. Types of Vascular Access for Hemodialysis
          4. Your Care Team
          5. How to Choose a Center
        7. Transplant
          1. Finding a Kidney Donor
          2. Considering Kidney Donation
        8. Insurance & Managing Costs
          1. Understanding Medicare Coverage
          2. Understanding Medicare Advantage
          3. Understanding Employer Plans
        9. Choosing Not to Treat
      3. Life On Dialysis
        1. Your Emotional Health While on Dialysis
          1. Managing Your Emotions
          2. Talking About Dialysis
          3. Intimacy
          4. Body Image and Dialysis
          5. Building Your Dialysis Support Network
        2. Staying Engaged
          1. Tips for Working While on Dialysis
          2. In-Center Activities
          3. Hobbies
        3. Staying Healthy
          1. Managing Your Time on Dialysis
          2. Dialysis & Exercise
          3. Weight Management
          4. Avoiding Infection
          5. Managing Multiple Conditions
          6. Fighting the Flu
        4. Dialysis Travel Services and Information
        5. Tips for Loved Ones
          1. In-Center Hemodialysis
          2. At-Home Hemodialysis
          3. At-Home Peritoneal Dialysis
        6. PatientHub
      4. Recipes & Nutrition
        1. Recipes
        2. Managing Your Diet
          1. Eating Well on a CKD Diet
          2. Eating Well on a Dialysis Diet
          3. Salt and Kidney Disease
          4. Potassium and Kidney Disease
          5. Phosphorus and Kidney Disease
          6. Talking With Your Dietitian
        3. Fluid Management on Dialysis
        4. Dialysis Diet Planning
          1. Kidney-Friendly Shopping
          2. Eating Out
          3. Holiday Diet Tips
          4. A Chef’s Advice | Chef Aaron McCargo on Kidney Friendly Meals
        5. Cookbooks
      5. Thrive Central
        1. CKD
        2. Dialysis
        3. Diet & Nutrition
        4. Stories
        5. Wellness
        6. See All
      Staying Healthy
      Staying Healthy
      OVERVIEW Managing Your Time on Dialysis Dialysis & Exercise Weight Management Avoiding Infection Managing Multiple Conditions Fighting the Flu
      1. Home
      2. Life On Dialysis
      3. Staying Healthy
      4. Managing Multiple Conditions

      Managing Multiple Health Conditions While on Dialysis

      Share:

      Many people treating end stage renal disease (ESRD) with dialysis also have other health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure. Once you start dialysis treatment, your doctor may need to modify your diet or medications to ensure you’re addressing all of your conditions properly. Your care team will work with you to make sure your Care Plan encompasses all aspects of your health.

      Eating for optimal health.

      Eating for optimal health

      Your nephrologist (kidney doctor) and dietitian will work with you to create a diet plan that addresses all of your nutritional needs. If you’re on dialysis and living with diabetes, you’ll still need to control your blood sugar and test your levels at least twice daily. If you have high blood pressure, you’ll need to focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, watch your saturated fat intake and of course avoid salt—which is an important step for anyone on dialysis. Your dietitian will help explain how what you eat and drink affects all of your conditions and your treatments. Your nephrologist will also recommend vitamins and supplements.
      Medications for CKD.

      Your medications matter

      Taking commonly prescribed blood pressure medications such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may also be part of your therapy to protect your kidney function. As always, be sure to take the medications that have been prescribed by your doctor.
      a group of people playing dominos

      REQUEST A HOME DIALYSIS CONVERSATION

      Home dialysis can mean fewer food restrictions, less medication, and more flexibility with treatment schedules.
      Speak To An Expert

      Conditions to monitor

      • Learn about diabetes and CKD.

        Diabetes - Diabetes is the #1 cause of chronic kidney disease, responsible for 44% of CKD cases. It’s also the leading cause of kidney failure in the US. If you’re living with diabetes and kidney disease, it’s important to stay in control of both conditions by eating well, managing medications and following your prescribed care plan.

        Learn more about diabetes and CKD
      • Learn about high blood pressure and CKD.

        High blood pressure (hypertension) - High blood presure is the #2 cause of chronic kidney disease, responsible for 29% of CKD cases. If you have high blood pressure, it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and take medications, as prescribed by your doctor. High blood pressure weakens blood vessels, which can contribute to loss of kidney function.

        Learn more about high blood pressure and CKD
      • Closeup of red blood cells
        Anemia - Having CKD affects your body’s ability to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen to your organs. Having too few red blood cells is called anemia and can make you feel tired or weak. Taking iron supplements and a medicine called ESA (erythropoiesis-stimulating agents) will help your body make more red blood cells, which helps increase the flow of oxygen.
      • Renal diet foods to avoid
        High cholesterol - Many people with chronic kidney disease also have high cholesterol—which causes a narrowing of the arteries and restricts blood flow. Your doctor may recommend dietary changes, exercise and, possibly, special medications to help lower your cholesterol.
      • Bone and mineral disease.
        Bone and mineral disease - When your kidneys aren’t working properly, they can’t filter out extra phosphorus in your blood or help your body retain vitamin D. This imbalance of minerals causes your bones to become weaker and more likely to break. Your doctor will likely ask you to take phosphate binders (medicines that remove phosphate from your blood) and vitamin D.
      • Smoking on dialysis
        Smoking - If you smoke or use smokeless tobacco, you should consider quitting. When you have CKD, tobacco puts more stress on your heart and other organs, which is extremely dangerous. Some sweet versions of smokeless tabacco also contain molasses, which has high potassium levels and should be avoided.

      NEED HELP UNDERSTANDING YOUR MEDICATIONS?

      FreseniusRx has renal-trained pharmacists who can answer questions about your kidney medications and explain any interactions with medications you may be taking for another condition.

      LEARN ABOUT FRESENIUS Rx
      Talk to your dietitian.

      WONDERING EXACTLY WHAT TO EAT?

      Ask your doctor or dietitian for help creating a kidney-friendly meal plan that can help you thrive.

      Learn the basics
      Back to Top
      1. About Us
      2. Español
      1. FAQ
      2. Resource Center
      3. Contact Us
      4. Glossary
      5. Media
      6. Careers
      1. Website Privacy Policy
      2. Terms of Use
      3. Site Map
      4. HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
      5. FreseniusKidneyCare.com Web Accessibility Statement
      6. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Data
      7. Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information
      • facebook
      • youtube
      • twitter
      • pinterest
      © 2016-2022 Fresenius Medical Care. All Rights Reserved.