High cholesterol and high blood pressure
Some transplant recipients may develop high blood pressure (also called hypertension) and/or high cholesterol due to immunosuppressive therapy; however, there are ways to manage it, including:
- Stop smoking
- Eat a low-salt, low-fat, high-fiber diet
- Exercise
- Manage your weight
Your doctor may also decide to reduce the dose of anti-rejection medications, or switch the type of anti-rejection medications you take to help limit risks to your cardiovascular health. Additional medications to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels may also be needed.
To learn more, read the following brochures, which are Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Please click here to download Adobe Reader for free.
To learn more, read:
Blood Pressure and Your New Organ
Cholesterol and Your New Organ
Talk to your transplant team right away if you are experiencing any side effects that are affecting your decision to take your medications. Your team can help you manage these side effects, and may explore altering or switching your medications.
