What is tacrolimus?

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

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