What are common problems for patients who miss dialysis treatments?

Patients who miss dialysis treatments often experience significant complications related to fluid overload and electrolyte imbalances that lead to conditions such as pulmonary edema and weakness. Dialysis performs the critical function of filtering waste products from the blood and removing excess fluid, which helps maintain electrolyte balance.

When a patient misses a session, the buildup of waste products can quickly affect various bodily systems. One of the most prominent outcomes is fluid retention, which can result in pulmonary edema. This occurs when excess fluid accumulates in the lungs, making it difficult for the patient to breathe and leading to respiratory distress.

Weakness is also a common symptom as the accumulation of toxins in the blood affects overall energy levels and muscle function. Ultimately, these two problems—pulmonary edema and weakness—are direct consequences of the failure to remove excess fluid and waste, which are normally regulated through dialysis.

While the other options present valid concerns, they do not encapsulate the immediate and prevalent issues directly associated with missing dialysis sessions as effectively as pulmonary edema and weakness do.