Has anyone here experienced the Critline? I have, and felt better than I ever had as the Critline found a whole .9 that my usual txs were not removing, and through working with the Uf, we removed it. I have wondered if there is any place for the Critline in daily or nocturnal txs, because eventhough fluid is being removed daily, it does not necessarily mean that all available fluid is being removed unless proper assessment is used.
Well I see no one has experience with the Critline. What have you been trained to do then as far as assessing your dry weight and goal? What programs do you use to remove fluid and are you satisfied that you are reaching your “true dry wieght”? Any problems with edema, sleeping at night etc?
Jane haven’t had an experience with the critline. I can pretty much tell what my fathers goal should be by watching his BP; checking his ankles and noticing rather or not his appetite has increased or decreased. We have done nocturnal for over 4 years and both of us sleep right through the treatments no problem.
:lol:
When my husband was at the Florida Hospital in August after Quadruple Bi-pass they used the critline on him, because they were not sure what his dry weight was. I really couldn’t tell either since he had been in the hospital for 5 days and I know his weight and fluid retention was up there.
I know what his dry weight should be, but they wouldn’t listen to me.
The Critline did the trick. They are very expensive but very useful if the patient has never been seen before.
Pat C
We have began a project at our dialysis facility in which critlines are used on everypatient on every treatment. to preface this note. I am on the nocturnal shift with 15 patients. I am starting to see good things as far as fluid removal. Ihave 3 patients that have had there blood pressure medicines decreased and patients in general are reporting more energy, less shortness of breath. However, I have to keep remindidng myself this is only a tool and you have to get to know how the individual responds to fluid removal. I have patients able to pull to the disired 12-15 % Blood voume change without problems, but I have another group that around 8-10% start watching for blood pressure drops and cramping. So it takes time to see when and how easily it gives up fluid, remembering it is a tool to be used along with listening to your body. I couldn’t imagine going back to the days without it and playing the EDW guessing game.
Thanks for listening.
ERIC RN
[QUOTE=Unregistered;18574]We have began a project at our dialysis facility in which critlines are used on everypatient on every treatment. to preface this note. I am on the nocturnal shift with 15 patients. I am starting to see good things as far as fluid removal. Ihave 3 patients that have had there blood pressure medicines decreased and patients in general are reporting more energy, less shortness of breath. However, I have to keep remindidng myself this is only a tool and you have to get to know how the individual responds to fluid removal. I have patients able to pull to the disired 12-15 % Blood voume change without problems, but I have another group that around 8-10% start watching for blood pressure drops and cramping. So it takes time to see when and how easily it gives up fluid, remembering it is a tool to be used along with listening to your body. I couldn’t imagine going back to the days without it and playing the EDW guessing game.
Thanks for listening.
ERIC RN[/QUOTE]
Hi Eric,
I hope you will report back to this thread what you are learning about working with critlines. Was your training brief or more in depth? How many nights per week is your nocturnal program? How does critline benefit nocturnal patients as compared to those on short txs? What machine do you use?
I do nocturnal txs and run at a 200BFR. I feel confident that all necessary fluid is removed since I am running so slowly for 8 hrs. and my blood pressure is where it should be. I have found I can get much more fluid off with nocturnal without cramping, but then my bp is too low (70s-80’s). So I only remove as much fluid to the point that my bps are in the 90s. I am not clear on why critline would benefit a nocturnal patient as the nocturnal tx itself seems to remove the correct amount of fluid without low bp incidents.
I had a few Critlines when I was in center some years ago. I was told that it is used to establish a more accurate dry weight. It somehow measures the fluid, hermatocrit, oxygen etc, content of the blood. My 1st Critline, after treatment, the nurse was getting my standing blood pressure. I awoke on the floor with them pumping saline back into me. You got it. I stood up, things went black and I hit the floor. I have been wary of the Critlines ever since, but I think that was the only time something like that happened.