Following transplantation patients are usually initiated on a combination of three medicines: an antimetabolite (either azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil/sodium), a calcineurin inhibitor (tacrolimus or ciclosporin) and a corticosteroid (prednisolone).

Once patients have had a transplant their level of renal function can vary considerably. Some patients will have excellent kidney function and some patients will have less kidney function.

Complications

Complications can occur with renal transplants, and pharmacy professionals can help patients understand their transplant and medicines to ensure patient safety and patient education.

Practice points

Research some of the complications associated with renal transplants. These can include:

• Side effects from immunosuppression
• Drug interactions involving immunosuppression
• Rejection – acute and chronic
• Post-transplant infections
• Malignancy and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD)
• Cardiovascular disease.