One-third to one-quarter of hemodialysis patients die of sudden cardiac death (SCD). The hemodialysis procedure may theoretically increase the risk of SCD. This study uses T wave alternans, a noninvasive marker of SCD, to objectively determine whether the hemodialysis procedure alters the risk of SCD in hemodialysis patients.
The purpose of this study is to determine if the hemodialysis procedure changes the risk for cardiac arrest in patients.