RESUMEN
In order to assess the effect of standard meal on heart rate and arterial pressure during hemodialysis in chronic uremics, 15 patients with a mean age of 42 +/- 7 years were enrolled in this study. No patient had evidence of cardiovascular diseases and no drugs that may affect the autonomic nervous system were being administered. After autonomic function had been assessed each patient's heart rate and blood pressure were studied twice, during two standard hemodialysis sessions, control hemodialysis [HD] and snack hemodialysis [HD]. Blood and dialysate flows as well as ultrafiltration rate were kept identical during the two study days. Arterial blood pressure fell significantly during both the control HD and the snack HD, heart rate showed significant increase during snack HD, while during control HD it did not so. There was no significant difference between control HD and snack HD regards heart rate and arterial blood pressure. However, cases with evidence of sympathetic dysfunction [who experienced postural hypotension during autonomic function assessment] showed more marked fall in arterial pressure after the snack than during the corresponding period in the control HD. Hence these patients with sympathetic dysfunction specifically should be advised to avoid food ingestion two hours before and also during hemodialysis