Your child will need a variety of different medications after a heart transplant. They can be grouped in the following categories:
Immunosuppressants
Your child will need to take immunosuppressants for the rest of his life. These drugs are used to prevent and treat rejection. Immunosuppressants include the following:
Medications to prevent infection
Heart transplants and immunosuppressants can make your child more likely to develop some infections. Your child may be prescribed one or more of the following medications to prevent infection:
- nystatin, which helps prevent an infection in the mouth called thrush
- cotrimoxazole, which helps prevent a lung infection called pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
- ganciclovir or cytogam, which help prevent and treat viral infections such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
- acyclovir, which helps prevent and treat viral infections such as chickenpox, shingles, herpes simplex, and CMV
- valganciclovir, which helps prevent and treat CMV
Blood pressure medications
Immunosuppressants can cause high blood pressure as a side effect. Most children will be on medication to control their blood pressure for the first six months after transplant. These medications may include the following:
- a diuretic, which increases the flow of urine and reduces the amount of water and salt in the body, such as furosemide or spironolactone-hydrochlorothiazide
- amlodipine
- short-acting nifedipine, which lowers the blood pressure quickly if it is too high
Magnesium supplements
Immunosuppressants can lower the level of magnesium in your child's blood. Magnesium supplements replace the lost magnesium.
Ranitidine
Ranitidine helps to prevent your child from getting an upset stomach when they are taking high doses of immunosuppressants.