What is tacrolimus?
- Type of drug: calcineurin inhibitor (previously known as FK506, or ‘FK’)
- Use: immunosuppressant after kidney transplant; other autoimmune disease
- Dose: 500 mg – 1 g twice a day (0.1 mg/kg twice a day)
- Side-effects:
- Diabetes – 30% of patients
- Hair loss
- Liver dysfunction
- Neurological and/or psychiatric syndromes
- Monitor: target blood levels 5-10 ng/mL (after first year); glucose; liver enzymes.
Note 1. Ciclosporin is an alternative drug (also a calcineurin inhibitor), with similar side effects though causes hair gain
Note 2. As with all immunosuppression, skin protection (against skin cancer) is important
Other resources
CKD drug side-effects
CKD patient information (CKD Explained’s 30+ core articles about CKD)
Tacrolimus (BNF)
Tacrolimus (UHCW patient information)
Review article: Araya, 2023
Last Reviewed on 5 May 2024