Heart Transplant: Preventing Rejection

Transcript

Usually it’s done best when you actually match the donor and the recipient well in terms of their antigens. Once that’s done, we usually have the patient on a regimen of immunosuppressive agents, and it’s really important for the patient to be able to comply with that regimen. This is why certain psychiatric conditions, certain social situations, cause for not being able to be listed for a transplant. Because the patient’s ability to comply and to take those medications to prevent rejection becomes quite important, otherwise it’s a failed transplant. It’s really important for the recipient to avoid bad habits, including the use of alcohol.