Immunosuppression for Renal Transplant Patients and Common Medical Problems in Renal Transplantation

Renal transplantation is the best treatment for most patients with end-stage renal disease and is associated with significant improvements in quality of life and survival of patients with successful kidney grafts. Because patient and graft survival rates 1 year after transplantation are currently higher than 90% for living and deceased donor kidney recipients, there will be large numbers of successful recipients requiring long-term care in the context of chronic immunosuppression. Primary care physicians and internists are becoming increasingly involved in the care of these patients and will need basic information about immunosuppression and the medical management of these patients.