For candidates at medium risk for heart problems who do not have diabetes, exercise stress tests or a nuclear medicine imaging test might be necessary. For candidates who have diabetes, the evaluation is more extensive. Because the waiting time on the cadaver kidney list is constantly increasing and the likelihood of cardiac events tends to also increase with time, candidates will need repeated stress testing or angiograms at least annually. The exact choice of blood pressure medication is generally up to the recipient s transplant physician or local primary physician. Keeping the top number less than 140 is the most important aspect of blood pressure control.
High cholesterol is common after a kidney transplant.
A significant number of kidney transplant candidates already have this problem prior to the transplant, and a significant number of kidney recipients will develop high cholesterol post transplant because of their anti-rejection medications. We strongly encourage all kidney recipients to get a fasting cholesterol test at least twice a year. Medications that are safe to treat high cholesterol in the general nontransplant population are usually safe for transplant recipients. However, close monitoring for any possible interactions with anti-rejection medications is strongly advised. In addition, following a low-fat diet and a regular exercise program to prevent excessive weight gain is also important.