Doctors decide to place a person on dialysis when kidney failure is causing certain conditions:

• Abnormal brain function (uremic encephalopathy)

• Certain other severe symptoms, such as loss of appetite or vomiting and weight loss

• Inflammation of the sac around the heart (pericarditis)

• A high level of acid in the blood (acidosis) that does not decrease despite other treatments

• Heart failure

• Total body fluid overload

• Fluid overload in the lungs (pulmonary edema) that does not respond to other treatments

• A very high level of potassium in the blood (hyperkalemia)

• A high level of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia)

• Greatly reduced kidney function