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GranuFlo Allegedly Caused the Unfortunate Passing of a Mother

28/01/2014 22:41

Two women have filed a GranuFlo lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California. The claim was filed on March 28, 2013 by plaintiffs Deborah Lower and Constance Morgan. The ladies allege that the acid concentrate caused their mother’s death.  


GranuFlo is an dry acid product that is widely used in many dialysis centers all over the United States. This dialysis ingredient, which was produced by Fresenius Medical Care, assists in neutralizing the acidity in the blood of dialysis patients. It was certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003. It grew in popularity, reaching a point where it became one of the most widely used acid concentrates in the United States.


Following its market release date, however, several research studies linked GranuFlo to heart problems. In fact, a post-marketing study conducted by Fresenius itself also indicated that GranuFlo may increase the risk of developing heart-related adverse effects that could eventually result in patient deaths. According to the study, dialysis patients administered with the product are six to eight times more susceptible to develop such complications in comparison to those who were given alternative treatments.


After uncovering the serious risks of GranuFlo, Fresenius released a warning notice to all its company-owned dialysis facilities. Reports indicate, however, that the company neglected to warn other dialysis centers using the acid concentrate. This purportedly led to countless injuries and deaths.


According to medical experts, components of the dialysate GranuFlo transforms into bicarbonate when it enters the bloodstream. These experts explain that elevated levels of bicarbonate in the blood of dialysis patients can result in alkalosis. Alkalosis is a serious condition in which the hydrogen ion concentration of the arterial blood plasma, also known as alkalemia, is considerably reduced. This may ultimately lead to a heart attack and sudden death.


The woman at the center of the above mentioned case, Beaulahfay Riddie, reportedly died while going through dialysis treatment. Her doctors indicated that cause of death was cardiac arrest. Before her unfortunate passing, the case claimed that she developed metabolic alkalosis, which was allegedly caused by GranuFlo.



injurylawyer-news.com/2013/04/naturalyte-and-granuflo-lawsuit-alleges-wrongful-death/

Conservative Treatment to Avoid Side Effects of Dialysis

19/11/2013 21:03

Dialysis treatment is often prescribed to help men and women who have end-stage renal disease eliminate the wastes in the blood, health care experts say, but it also has several complications associated to long-term use. Conservative treatment without dialysis is one of the possible options for people with irreversible kidney damage, according to the Renal Resource Centre (RRC). If the patient refuses to have dialysis or a new kidney, he or she might still be able to live the same as those who are receiving dialysis treatment. The recent consolidation of GranuFlo lawsuits in Massachusetts state court has even added to the fears of some elderly individuals to undergo dialysis treatment.


Knowing that one has end-stage renal disease (the kidney has already incurred irreversible damages) may seem overwhelming but it is important to choose the treatment before the symptoms start to show. Family members are often included in the decision because they need to assist patients in their choices. For men and women over the age of 60 who are frail, dialysis treatment may not be effective because of the comorbidities of this type of treatment. An average of life expectancy of four years is possible for older adults with ages over 75 years old who are under dialysis treatment, according to the National Health Services in the United Kingdom.


Conservative treatment for end-stage kidney disease may focus more on treating the symptoms of the disease. Rather than preventing the disease, it allows the disease to run its natural course but will help the patient be more comfortable by treating the pressing symptoms. Drug and diet management are the combination that is used to alleviate the symptoms of renal failure. Most of the symptoms experienced by those who are undergoing conservative treatment are also experienced by those who are under dialysis treatment. The symptoms that are being managed are lack of energy, loss of appetite, fluid retention and ankle swelling, bruising, pins and needles in the hands or feet, itch, nausea and shortness of breath


Kidney functions are still being preserved through this type of medical management but it does not replace the functions of the kidney. However, patients and family members need to be aware that this course of decision might eventually lead to death. This possibility is often discussed by health care providers to patients before they undergo the treatment. There are some family members who have filed a   GranuFlo and NaturaLyte lawsuit after a family member died of heart attack related to their dialysis treatment.

 

URL References:
renalresource.com/pdf/IntroCCACKD.pdf
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18029376
cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/4/10/1611.abstract

What to Eat When Undergoing Dialysis

26/10/2013 04:56
 It is hard for the body to go through the dialysis treatment if not properly nourished, urologic specialists believe, eating right is important in managing one’s health better. A good meal plan may be arranged by the help of a renal dietician to help persons with renal problems improve their dialysis and health, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). As the kidney loses its function, the food taken in may help improve or worsen the situation. Too much fluid intake separating these dialysis sessions will increase the risk of developing heart problems, hence, it is vital to regulate fluid intake.
 
 
Three of the minerals found in food that needs to be regulated are potassium, phosphorus and sodium. Too much of these three may result to severe health complications but a healthy kidney is often able to manage decreasing excess amounts of these minerals. Sodium that is present in large amounts will increase thirst and ultimately cause fluid problems, a surplus in potassium will cause heart problems and excess phosphorus may result to skin and bone complications. Before the next dialysis session, patients need to watch their potassium, phosphorus and sodium intake.
 
 
Protein-rich food is highly recommended for those undergoing dialysis treatment because small amounts of protein are lost during the procedure. There is also a change in the body’s metabolism that allows protein breakdown even before the body has any need for it. However, only protein with high biological value (HBV) are recommended to minimize waste products that may build-up during the times in-between the sessions. The waste product of protein breakdown is urea and it may easily increase in large amounts if patients are not able to manage it properly. Patients are advised to eat only lean meat when selecting among meat products because it contains low amounts of fat and phosphorus.
 
 
The daily calorie consumption varies depending on the needs of the patient. Some are advised by health care providers to increase their intake while others may need to reduce their intake. Vegetable oil may help those who are trying to gain weight without increasing the risk of developing heart complications. There are some who may need to cut down on their daily caloric intake and a renal dietician may be able to help in making appropriate meal plans. Those with advanced kidney problems may be able to benefit from the dialysis treatment but they need to be aware of the health risks too.
 
 
 
URL References:
kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/eatright/#affect
nephron.org/nephsites/adp/protein.htm
kidney.org/atoz/content/dietary_hemodialysis.cfm
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