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Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD

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Specializes in: Internal Medicine (Adult Medicine) and Nephrology (Kidney Disease)

Professional interests include: chronic kidney disease (CKD), dialysis

200 W. Arbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92103

(619) 543-4619

Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD is an internist in San Diego, CA specializing in internal medicine (adult medicine) and nephrology (kidney disease). Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD is affiliated with Regents of the University of California.

Office Locations

Address:

200 W. Arbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92103

Address:

9300 Campus Point Drive
San Diego, CA 92037

Some issues Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD can help you with:

Dialysis

Dialysis is a procedure that replicates renal (kidney) function by filtering patients' blood. When kidneys do not work properly, waste can accumulate in the blood and unbalanced chemicals can impair the body's critical functions. In order to stay healthy, a person without proper kidney function must receive dialysis. There are two forms of dialysis treatment: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both forms of dialysis are recurring treatments that in many cases last throughout the lifetime of the affected patient. Patients who briefly lose renal function may slowly reduce the frequency of dialysis sessions until their kidneys recover. However, most patients who start on dialysis remain on dialysis for the rest of their lives or until they receive a kidney transplant.

A number of conditions can worsen renal function and lead to end-stage or acute kidney failure. When kidneys fail (i.e. nearly 90 percent of their function is lost), dialysis is typically prescribed. Conditions that cause chronic kidney failure (eventually requiring dialysis) include:

Type 1 and 2 Diabetes
Pyelonephritis, recurring kidney infection
Glomerulonephritis, inflammation of the kidney's filtering parts
Polycystic kidney disease
Interstitial nephritis, inflammation of the kidney's tubules
High blood pressure
Vesicoureteral reflux, improper bladder emptying

For hemodialysis (the more common form of dialysis), a patient will visit a hospital or clinic and be connected to a dialysis machine by a needle attached to a tube that draws blood from the arm. The drawn blood is transferred to the dialysis machine, where it is filtered and separated until clean. Waste products from the blood pass into a fluid called dialysate, which is pumped out of the machine into a waste receptacle. The machine also measures and helps ensure the blood has the appropriate level of fluid, electrolytes, and pH. A tube delivers the cleaned blood back into the patient's body. A dialysis session like this will typically last for three to four hours, with a patient undergoing dialysis around three times per week.

A second method of dialysis is known as peritoneal dialysis. Unlike hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home by oneself after an initial surgery. To start, a physician (generally a surgeon) will make a small incision in the lower abdomen and insert and surgically attach a catheter (thin tube). At home, the patient connects a pump to the abdomen catheter, delivering dialysate (dialysis fluid) from a bag hanging on a wheeled stand. This fluid enters the peritoneal cavity (greater abdomen area containing the stomach, liver, and intestines) and collects waste through osmosis, where waste in the blood moves across a membrane and into the dialysate. This process continues for several hours until the fluid concentration is equal between the blood and dialysate, at which point the fluid can be drained. The fluid can then be passed through a machine called a cycler, which removes waste and allows for the dialysate to be reused. This process is repeated about four times per day. Dialysis patients must limit the amount of fluid they consume prior to receiving dialysis and should also avoid eating salty foods. The cycler cannot filter more than a certain amount of waste products from the blood.

Kidneys are important organs, and dialysis treatments are vital for those with renal dysfunction. For many, dialysis is not so much a medical procedure but a part of their normal life.

dialysis	41
hospital care	38
inpatient care	38

**Gender**
Male	32
Female	15

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	0
Hispanic	19
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	16
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	16

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	70
Depression	47
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	53
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	26
Diabetes	53
Dementia	23
Cancer	0

dialysis	43
doctor visit	28
hospital care	362
inpatient care	362

**Gender**
Male	91
Female	66

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	52
Black	24
Hispanic	57
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	56
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	65

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	14
Ischemic Heart Disease	69
Depression	41
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	25
Heart Failure	62
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	64
Dementia	20
Cancer	11

doctor visit	16
hospital care	133
inpatient care	133

**Gender**
Male	54
Female	36

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	41
Black	0
Hispanic	29
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	32
From 75 to 84	21
85 and over	11
Less than 65	26

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	18
Ischemic Heart Disease	66
Depression	49
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	26
Heart Failure	61
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	26
Diabetes	57
Dementia	28
Cancer	18

doctor visit	144
hospital care	276
inpatient care	276

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2018 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD treated as an internist in San Diego, CA were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

dialysis	42
doctor visit	64
hospital care	202
inpatient care	202

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2018 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD.

**Gender**
Male	17
Female	11

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	2
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	9
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	10
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	2
85 and over	1
Less than 65	10
65 to 74	10

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD From 2018 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD treated were chronic kidney disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension	22
High Cholesterol	20
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	20
Depression	13
Chronic Kidney Disease	22
Asthma	1
Osteoporosis	0
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	17
Atrial Fibrillation	5
Cancer	2
Dementia	7

Education & Training

He has a state license in California.

Licensed In: California

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Regents of the University of California

Ratings & Reviews

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Alexander Lionel Bullen, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Baxter Healthcare	$104 Renal - PD $104
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.	$47 JYNARQUE $47
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	$33 SOLIRIS $33
Travere Therapeutics, Inc.	$13 $13

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$184
Education	$13

Biography

Dr. Alexander Bullen is a specialist in nephrology (kidney disease). He works in San Diego, CA. Dr. Bullen has a special interest in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dialysis. He is affiliated with Regents of the University of California.