[Bicarbonate hemodialysis. Pharmaceutical aspects]. / L'hémodialyse au bicarbonate. Aspects pharmaceutiques.

Specific problems during fabrication of concentrated hemodialysis solutions containing bicarbonate arise because of the low solubility of sodium bicarbonate in water and the risk or precipitation of calcium, magnesium carbonates. These problems have been solved by the Pharmacie centrale by making 2 different concentrated solutions, the first one brinding the major essential elements, at the exclusion of bicarbonate, the second less concentrated, with bicarbonate and potassium gluconate, the latter complexing iron and so preventing precipitates of ferric carbonate. The various pharmaceutical steps are described in this paper: formulation, choice of raw materials and manufacturing processes, quality control.