Phosphorus-enriched hemodialysates: formulations and clinical use.

Although hyperphosphatemia is a cardinal feature of renal failure, the occasional patient suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) may present with hypophosphatemia. For example, hypophosphatemia can develop in ESRD patients if they suffer from malnutrition or if they are aggressively dialyzed. Hypophosphatemia is commonly prevented or treated with the oral or the intravenous administration of soluble phosphate salts; however, determination of the required oral or intravenous dose is difficult. Under appropriate circumstances, phosphorus-enriched dialysates can also be employed for the purpose of phosphorus administration. Various preparations of soluble phosphate salts can be used to enrich hemodialysates.