Summary

Description	Immunosuppressant drugs given to transplant patients serve to reduce the strength of the body’s immune system, with the hope that the body will be less likely to reject a transplanted organ. At the time this video was released, the survival rate for organ transplants had plateaued, and the program presents a review of immunosuppressive management primarily in reference to transplant patients. Historical highlights in the development of immunosuppressive management are reviewed. Then the lessons that have been learned from renal transplantation are discussed. An example of one of the lessons discussed is that not all rejection episodes can be prevented or reversed. The standard immunosuppressive regimen used at the University of Michigan is profiled. This regimen consists of administering Azathioprine in doses of 3mg/kg x 10 days (maximum 200 mgs.) and 2.5 mg/kg after 10 days if tolerated (maximum 150 mgs.) and Prednisone 1.5 mg/kg x 7 days, tapering to 1 mg/kg during the second week an
Source	collections.nlm.nih.gov
Author	Turcotte, Jeremiah G., 1933-, Academy of Health Sciences (U.S.)

Licensing

Public Domain

Attribution: Turcotte, Jeremiah G., 1933-, Academy of Health Sciences (U.S.)