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.
 |
| Usually the diseased kidney is not removed during transplant surgery |
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).
