Acetate is the primary acidifying solution used in bicarbonate-based hemodialysis worldwide. It has been published in small trials or case series that the addition of acetate is associated with a rise in nitric oxide production of vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells and myocardial cells as a sign of vascular dysfunction. Furthermore clinical side effects of dialysis e.g. nausea, malnutrition, intradialytic blood pressure drops, induction of proinflammatory cytokines and activation of complement and leukocytes have been described with acetate.