“How long can you live on dialysis treatment?”

Life expectancy on dialysis depends on your co-morbid conditions and how well you follow your dialysis treatment plan. Average life expectancy is 5-10 years, but people have lived well over that (some 20 years or even 30 years).

The longest that I have seen someone live on dialysis is 37 years. The factors which are involved are 1) how many things are wrong with you otherwise, 2) how well are you participating in your care--watch the fluids, keep the phosphate under great control, ... and 3) have a positive attitude and be interactive with your doctors.

I have seen people live on dialysis up to 15 years, however, you are very young and you should try to get a kidney transplant. People who are diabetic have a much shorter lifespan on dialysis.

Namrata Sharma Goel, M.D.

That’s a very good question. Young & otherwise healthy patients can live for very long periods on dialysis. I actually have a patient currently who had been on dialysis for 25 years. Older, otherwise sicker patients don’t live as long on dialysis. Generally, 50% of all dialysis patients die within 5 years & 50% of diabetics on dialysis die within 3 years, but there can obviously be wide variation. The most common cause of death for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is cardiovascular complications (heart attacks & strokes). With proper attention paid to Blood Pressure, anemia management, & bone metabolism, as well as the traditional risk factors, the risks for heart attacks and strokes can be decreased.

Steven A. Burka, MD, FACP, FASN

Dialysis patients who are compliant with dialysis and meet all goals of anemia, BMD, Kt/V, and have well-functioning access can live for over 15 to 20 years.

More than 25 years