Experience with levocarnitine in reducing frequency of intradialytic hypotension in patients on maintenance

Aim: to assess the role of levocarnitinein reducing the frequency of intradialytic hypotension in maintenance haemodialysis patients.methods: 20 patients having 3 or more episodes of intradialytic hypotension/week on maintenance haemodialysis at shaikh zayed hospital,lahore were enrolled in the study. each patient was dialyzed according to a standard protocol and dialysate. each participant was infused with 20mg/kg body weight intravenous levocarnitine at the end of each dialysis session in the venous port while blood was being returned to the patient for 6 months. the number of intradialytic hypotensive episodes/week was noted during the 6 month period.results: at the start of the study 12 patients had 3 episodes of intradialytic hypotension/week,3 patients had 4 episodes/week while 2 patients had 5 intradialytic hypotensive episodes/week. at end of 6 month study period,12 patients had no intradialytic hypotensive episodes while 2 patients had 1 intradialytic hypotensive episode/week. there was 1 patient who had 2 episodes/week while 2 patients had 3 intradialytic hypotensive episode/week.conclusion: intravenous levocarnitine at the end of each dialysis session helps in reducing frequency of intradialytic hypotension in maintenance haemodialysis patients. © 2014 pakistan journal of medical and health sciences. all rights reserved.