Abstract
Much of the success of kidney transplantation is due to advances in immunosuppression agents used to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs. However, it is necessary to understand the delicate balance between drug efficacy, drug interactions, and side effects to optimize patient outcomes and avoid significant morbidity. This chapter reviews the most common immunosuppressive agents used in kidney transplantation, their mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, and side effect profiles. Agents used in current practice include small-molecule drugs and biologic agents. Small-molecule drugs are usually used for maintenance immunosuppression and are administered for stable long-term immunosuppression. Biologic agents are most frequently used to treat acute rejection episodes or as induction immunosuppression at the time of transplant surgery.
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