The majority of kidney transplant patients are on Tacrolimus, a drug that is effective in preventing kidney transplant rejection. The drug requires close monitoring to avoid increased risks of kidney transplant rejection or toxicity especially if the tacrolimus concentration is too low or too high in the blood. Most Tacrolimus patients take their dose twice daily and will have their blood levels drawn 12 hours after their previous dose. The measurement of Tacrolimus and other drug levels such as Cyclosporine, Sirolimus and Envarsus are essential to the management of transplant patients to reduce rejection and toxicities.

At Dallas Transplant Institute (DTI), we ask patients to hold their morning tacrolimus dose until after their labs are drawn. It is ok to take all of your other medications except tacrolimus prior to your lab draw unless instructed otherwise by your provider.