Tacrolimus Injection

Tacrolimus injection should only be given under the supervision of a doctor who is experienced in treating people who have had an organ transplant and in prescribing medications that decrease the activity of the immune system.

Tacrolimus injection decreases the activity of your immune system. This may increase the risk that you will get a serious infection. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: sore throat; cough; fever; extreme tiredness; flu-like symptoms; warm, red, or painful skin; or other signs of infection.

When your immune system is not working normally, there may be a greater risk that you will develop cancer, especially lymphoma (a type of cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system). The longer you receive tacrolimus injection or other medications that decrease the activity of the immune system, and the higher your doses of these medications, the more this risk may increase. If you experience any of the following symptoms of lymphoma, call your doctor immediately: swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin; weight loss; fever; night sweats; excessive tiredness or weakness; cough; trouble breathing; chest pain; or pain, swelling, or fullness in the stomach area.

Talk to your doctor about the risks of receiving tacrolimus injection.

🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?

Tacrolimus injection is used along with other medications to prevent rejection (attack of the transplanted organ by the transplant recipient’s immune system) in people who have received kidney, liver, or heart transplants. Tacrolimus injection should only be used by people who are unable to take tacrolimus by mouth. Tacrolimus injection is in a class of medications called immunosupressants. It works by decreasing the activity of the immune system to prevent it from attacking the transplanted organ.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Tacrolimus injection comes as a solution (liquid) to be injected intravenously (into a vein) by a doctor or nurse in a hospital or medical facility. It is usually given as an ongoing infusion, beginning no sooner than 6 hours after transplant surgery and continuing until tacrolimus can be taken by mouth.

A doctor or nurse will watch you closely during the first 30 minutes of your treatment and then will monitor you often so that you can be treated quickly if you have a serious allergic reaction.

🔔 Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.