Comment
Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Immunosuppressants (anti-rejection medicines), are medicines that keep kidney transplants from being attacked by the immune system.Table of ContentsAbout immunosuppressants (anti-rejection medicines)UsesHow they workTypesEffectivenessSide effects and monitoringTips for taking your anti-rejection medicinesPaying for anti-rejection medicines after transplantQuestions to askMore resources About immunosuppressants (anti-rejection medicines)Your immune system’s job is to fight anything that is “foreign” to your body. It looks for things that do not belong, like bacteria and viruses (germs). For people who have received a kidney transplant, your immune system will also try to fight, or reject, your new kidney since it isn’t like the rest of your body. So, anti–rejection (immunosuppressant) medications are needed to increase your chances of keeping your new kidney healthy. Anti-rejection medicines are for life – your new kidney is depending on them! Stopping, missing, or skipping these medicines will very likely cause rejection, either right away or over time. UsesAnti-rejection medicines are very important for people who have received a kidney transplant. They help lower (suppress) your body’s natural response to fight your new kidney. How they workImmunosuppressants are what protect your new kidney from your own body’s natural attack response. There are many types of anti-rejection medicines, and each works in a slightly different way. The goal with these medicines is to find the right balance between stopping your immune system from fighting your new kidney while keeping it strong enough to fight other germs and prevent serious infections. So, most people who have received a kidney transplant will need a combination of anti-rejection medicines to help achieve this balance.Everyone has a different level of risk for rejecting their new kidney. So, your transplant team will design a medication regimen (number of medicines and their doses) specifically for you and your situation. TypesThere are 3 groups of anti-rejection (immunosuppressant) medications:Induction medicines: – a strong anti-rejection medicine given intravenously (IV) before you receive your transplant (usually in the operating room) and repeated one or more times in the days after your transplant surgery. This medicine helps get your body’s immune system ready to accept the new kidney. Your transplant team will determine the specific
Add Comment