Prevention of sudden cardiac death in dialysis patients: A nephrologist's perspective

Sudden death is a common and at times preventable cause of death in the dialysis population. Prevention of sudden death can be accomplished in the dialysis population by proper management of cardiac disease and attention to dialysis treatment. The proper usage of medications such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers is likely to decrease the risk of sudden death, yet these medications are underutilized in the dialysis population. Appropriate management of dialysate potassium is also important. A systematic method should be developed in each dialysis center to identify risk factors for sudden death, institute appropriate treatment, and monitor outcomes.