After a renal transplant
Once a kidney transplant has stabilised, patients should ideally have a reasonably healthy GFR of greater than 40mL/min. Consequently, dose reduction of drugs that are renally-eliminated is not usually needed. However, graft function does tend to diminish with time, so it is imperative to check renal function regularly.
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A transplanted kidney is positioned lower in the pelvis than the patient's own kidneys (which are left in place) and attached to the common iliac artery and vein
Courtesy of http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/transplant Wikimedia Commons
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Many of the immunosuppressants taken post-transplant interact with a variety of drugs and you should
always check for interactions.
Common immunosuppressants used to prevent transplant rejection include:
Remember that ciclosporin and tacrolimus should be prescribed by their brand name.
Bear in mind that transplant patients only have one working kidney, and it may not have perfect function, so it is vital to avoid all medicines that may impair kidney function (e.g. NSAIDs).
