March 18, 2026

Study explores how dialysis patients may safely reduce medications

People on hemodialysis often take up to 12 different medications each day to help manage their health. Research suggests that 93 per cent of dialysis patients are taking one or more medications that are no longer needed or could be inappropriate. This can make managing medications complicated and increase the risk of negative side effects and drug interactions.  

Researchers at the University Health Network in Toronto are seeking to minimize these risks and reduce burden to patients by creating a structured deprescribing program called STOPMed-HD. Deprescribing is the process of carefully reviewing medications and stopping those that may no longer be needed. Through this program, one in five patients safely reduced at least one medication over a six-month period. 

In this study, clinicians reviewed the medications of 98 patients using the STOPMed-HD toolkit. They identified 40 patients with medications that could be reduced or stopped. Of these, 39 recommendations were supported by prescribing doctors, and patients agreed with and found value in 72 per cent of the recommendations supported by their doctors.  

By the end of the six-month study, 20 patients had successfully reduced or stopped at least one medication, for a total of 23 medications being deprescribed. This was done safely, with no harmful events reported.  

Reducing prescription medications can lower the risk of side effects, reduce costs, and make daily routines simpler for patients and their families. With validated clinical tools and patient education materials, STOPMed-HD can help guide this process safely. However, open communication between patients and their health care providers is essential to balance benefits, risks, and individual care goals. 

More information from other dialysis centres and over longer time periods is needed to fully understand the benefits of guided deprescribing. Nonetheless, these results suggest that thoughtful medication reviews may be a safe and practical way to improve care for people living with kidney disease. 

This research was supported by both the Can-SOLVE CKD Network and The Kidney Foundation of Canada.