This is an archive of “Did You Know” e-mails sent to Dialysis of Drugs users. To receive future news, please join our e-mail list.
From June, 2026
- Our experience with AI has not been reliable. We tested it in May, 2026 by asking for the most recent edition of Dialysis of Drugs. Copilot erroneously stated that it is the 2024 edition. There have been multiple revisions included in the 2026 edition.
- A search on ChatGPT regarding dialyzability of melphalan stated that melphalan is considered dialyzable. However, a recent paper by Mecklenbrauk et al showed that melphalan is not removed by dialysis. Potential overdosing resulting from use of AI recommendations could lead to significant adverse events. doi: 10.1016/j.lrr.2025.100522.
- Use caution in the interpretation of AI-generated recommendations.
From April, 2026
- Comparison charts assist clinicians in choosing the best drug in a therapeutic class for a specific patient.
- Among beta-blockers atenolol is removed by hemodialysis while carvedilol is not.
- Among fluoroquinolones ofloxacin is removed by hemodialysis while levofloxacin is not.
From January, 2026
Highlights of the 2026 edition:
- Over 2,200 drugs, including all new approvals in the U.S, Canada and Australia through June 2025
- Updated dialyzability data based on scientific literature review
Available in several formats:
Mobile app (Dialysis of Drugs app now auto-renews annually; cancel anytime.)
Print versions – pocket-sized booklet and wall chart (dialysisofdrugs.com)
Site license – searchable pdf for posting in clinical resource page or library (contact nmason@dialysisofdrugs.com)
From December, 2025
Holiday Quiz!
Test yourself with these questions drawn from previous issues of “Did You Know?”
1
Use of insulins in dialysis patients is complicated by adsorption of insulin to plastics, absorption of glucose from dialysate, and changes in patients’ insulin sensitivity.
a) True
b) False
2
Highly lipid-soluble drugs are generally cleared easily by dialysis.
a) True
b) False
3
In March 2024, US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, and Center for Drug Evaluation and Research published “Pharmacokinetics in patients with impaired renal function: study design, data analysis, and impact on dosing. Guidance for industry.” This document mandated pharmacokinetic studies for all new drugs.
a) True
b) False
4
For high-flux HD, the proportion of drugs for which dialyzability is definitively known is only about 9-11%.
a) True
b) False
5
Approximately how many new entries will be in the 2026 edition of DoD?
a) 15
b) 95
c) 150
Answers: 1.a 2.b 3.b 4.a 5.c
Thanks for your support and Happy Holidays from Nancy and George (Renal Pharmacy Consultants)!
From November, 2025
- A new edition of Dialysis of Drugs is scheduled for January 2026! Subscribing to the app ensures users receive automatic updates.
- A small proportion of dialysis patients worldwide are treated with low-flux HD. But the proportion of medications for which clearance by low-flux HD was known has dropped from 44% in 2008 to 30% in 2024 – see figure (click here to view study)
- Similar low trends were also observed for drug clearance studies with high-flux HD and PD (see previous DYK issues). The impact of recent FDA guidelines recommending pharmacokinetic studies in dialysis patients remains unknown.
- Dialysis of Drugs provides guidelines about drug removal by dialysis.
From September, 2025
- A new edition of Dialysis of Drugs is scheduled for January 2026!
- Almost 15% of US dialysis patients are treated with PD. The proportion of medications for which clearance by PD was known has dropped from 22% in 2008 to 14% in 2024 – see figure below. (click here to view study)
- Recent FDA guidelines recommend dialysis pharmacokinetic studies on most new drugs, however their impact remains to be seen.
- Dialysis of Drugs provides guidelines about drug removal by dialysis.
From July, 2025
- We recently showed the paucity of definitive data about whether or not drugs are dialyzed. (click here to view study)
- For high-flux HD, the percent of medications for which dialyzability was known increased only a little from about 9% in 2008 to about 11-12% in 2024.
- Dialysis of Drugs contains our analyses of data to assist clinicians in finding up-to-date information about drug dialyzability.
From May, 2025
- A third easy-access comparison table of dialyzability of diabetes drugs has been added to our website, to join antibiotics and antihypertensive agents. We hope you find it useful.
- There is debate regarding how best to use insulins in dialysis patients. It is complicated by:
- Concerns about adsorption of insulin to plastics
- Variable absorption of glucose from dialysate
- Changes in patients’ insulin sensitivity, and
- Lack of dialyzability studies
From February, 2025
- A list comparing dialyzability of ANTIBIOTICS has been added to the Dialysis of Drugs website (https://renalpharmacyconsultants.com/comparison/antibiotics/).
- Low-flux dialysis continues to be used by many centers. Definitive knowledge about low-flux dialyzability is known for only 11-12% of drugs.
From December, 2024
Test yourself with these questions drawn from previous issues of “Did You Know?”
1
Dialysis clearance of a drug is considered to be clinically important if it increases plasma clearance by 30% or more.
a) True
b) False
2
A large systemic volume of distribution generally enhances drug clearance by dialysis.
a) True
b) False
3
Metoprolol has active metabolites.
a) True
b) False
4
What percent of drugs in the 2024 edition of Dialysis of Drugs had definitive information available in the literature regarding high-flux dialyzability?
a) 11%
b) 30%
c) 70%
5
How many drugs are listed in the 2024 edition of Dialysis of Drugs?
a) 740
b) 1040
c) 2140
Answers: 1 a, 2 b, 3 a, 4 a, 5 c
Thanks for your support and Happy Holidays!
From September, 2024
- Some ACE inhibitors are removed by hemodialysis, (lisinopril, enalapril) while others are not (quinapril). Go to dialysisofdrugs.com for our antihypertensive comparison chart.
- 42.3% of drugs listed in Dialysis of Drugs 2024 have no data available to indicate potential high-flux hemodialyzability, leaving clinicians unsure about dosing requirements. In March 2024 the FDA issued industry guidelines in an effort to address this deficit.
From July, 2024
- 154 new drugs were added to the latest edition (2024) of Dialysis of Drugs, representing an increase of 7.8%.
- Only 11.4% of the 2,140 drugs in the 2024 edition had definitive information available regarding high-flux dialyzability. The editors analyzed published pharmacokinetic and physicochemical information to add the likelihood of dialyzability for an additional 46.6% of drug.
From May, 2024
- Check out a new resource on our website! By popular request we have developed a chart that compares antihypertensive drug dialyzability by therapeutic class.link This chart may be helpful in optimizing drug therapy. More drug class comparisons will be added over the coming year. We invite you to offer suggestions for drug class comparisons that would be useful.
- A Dialysis of Drugs site license allows institution-wide access to a searchable pdf. Contact nmason@dialysisofdrugs.com for more information.
From March, 2024
- Dialysis of Drugs is updated frequently (every 2 years) and includes more drugs than any other drug dialysis resource. link
- Some drugs (e.g. metoprolol, nateglinide) have active metabolites. It is important to know their dialyzability.
From December, 2023
- COMING SOON: Dialysis of Drugs 2024 edition, fully updated and revised with the addition of new drugs in US, Australia and Canada. Watch for email announcement in early January for details on how to order.
- Many institutions are using a searchable pdf downloaded onto their clinical intranet as their preferred method for accessing Dialysis of Drugs.