Cyclosporine (Sandimmune) is prescribed for the client following allogenic kidney transplantation. The nurse provides instructions to the client regarding the medication and tells the client that:

Question

1. There are no known adverse effects of the medication.
2. The medication will need to be taken for a period of 6 months.
3. Blood levels of the medication will need to be measured periodically.
4. The medication is administered by the intravenous (IV) route on a monthly basis.

Answer 1

3

Rationale: To avoid toxicity from high medication levels and to avoid organ rejection from low medication levels, blood levels of cyclosporine should be measured periodically. In the organ transplant client, an immunosuppressant will need to be taken for life. Oral administration is the route of choice; IV administration is reserved for clients who cannot take the medication orally. The most serious adverse effects are nephrotoxicity and infection.