Immunosuppression after Cardiac Transplantation: What is the Best Approach?

Authors

Sara Batya Friedman

Abstract

Cardiac transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients in end-stage heart failure. Since the first heart transplant in 1967, survival rates have steadily increased. This is largely on account of advancing immunosuppressive therapies, although immuno- suppression protocol still varies greatly among transplant centers, with no ideal regimen to follow. A fine balance lies between under-immunosuppression leading to rejection, and over-immunosuppression causing complications, toxicity, and adverse effects. Some successful therapies include steroids, lymphocyte proliferation inhibitors, and calcineurin inhibitors. Much of the available evidence as to which regimens have been successful is from retrospective analyses, indicating the need for more studies to be conducted to determine the best practices and to improve mortality after cardiac transplant. This review is a critical analysis comparing different current immunosuppressive therapies and rejection treatments following heart transplantation.

Recommended Citation

Sara Batya Friedman. (2023). Immunosuppression after Cardiac Transplantation: What is the Best Approach?. The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences, 17(1), 98-106. Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/sjlcas/vol17/iss1/13