Cardiac arrest in dialysis patients: taking a small step.

Dialysis patients are at high risk for death, and cardiac disease accounts for 43% of all-cause mortality. The single greatest cause of death in dialysis patients is sudden cardiac death. The survival of dialysis patients after cardiac arrest is poor. Clinical strategies for improving the outcomes of dialysis patients should include therapies to reduce the risk of cardiac arrest and the likelihood of surviving cardiac arrest. Defibrillators should be available in all dialysis centers.