Why do people need to take medication that decreases immune responses after they receive a organ transplant?

Answer 1

A person's immune system is designed to detect and destroy things that get into the body that are not part of that person's body. This works well for germs and viruses and keeps the person healthy.

When you transplant an organ such as a kidney into a person's body, then it will be attacked by the person's immune system (rejected) because the body will detect that is is not of that person's body. The drugs suppress this rejection response and allow the new kidney to function without being rejected.

Answer 2

They are prescribed for transplant patients to prevent their bodies from rejecting the donated organ. Because the donor's organ is a good match, but not an exact match of your own body tissue, it is possible for your immune system to attack the cells in the transplanted organ because it is thinking that they are invaders that should should not be there. The drugs to suppress the immune system stop your body from being able to effectively attack or damage the transplanted organ. Suppressants are prescribed until your body gets used to the cells of the new organ and "accept" it, and they are gradually reduced from there. Some people must take them long term after a transplant. The ramifications of long term use are frequent minor, and sometimes major, infections that get a hold before your body can protect you from the bacteria (or other disease-producing invaders) in the immune system's suppressed state.

Answer 3

Your immune system works to attack anything in your body that it does not recognize as part of your body such as a germ, a bacteria, or a new kidney. It knows what belongs and what does not belong to your body.

When you put someone else's body part, into your body, your immune system knows it does not belong and so attacks it. Immunosuppressant drugs block your immune system from attacking the transplanted organ, and every other invader.

Given enough time, the cells in the transplanted organ will be replaced by your own cells, as cells die they are replaced on a continuous basis. But until that happens you will need to suppress your immune system.

The downside is that suppressing the immune system leaves you open to attack from everything else. Things that your body would have stopped dead are now dangerous and sometimes fatal. Scratch your nose, rub your eye, and the next thing you know you have fungus growing on your eyeball.

Answer 4

Unless the recipient received an organ which was genetically identical to their original (for example, an organ from their identical twin), their immune system will recognise that the new organ is not built of the same DNA as the rest of them. This creates a reaction, not unlike the normal reaction when your body tries to fight off a cold virus - the virus enters your body and goes into your bloodstream, whereupon specialised white blood cells recognise that it is a "foreign body" and try to kill it off. This reaction also happens for transplanted organs, however in this case, the reaction is not at all useful. If this reaction were allowed to continue for the transplanted organ, progressive scarring and malfunction of the organ would result. This is never good, so instead "immunosuppressive" drugs are used.

Answer 5

Your immune system protects the body from foreign bodies. The bad thing is that the immune system cant distinguish between bad foreign bodies and your transplanted organ which is a good foreign body. the drugs are given to knock down the immune system so it cant attack your new organ. Popular drugs given now are Prograf and Myfortic. Hope that helps

Answer 6

Without them, the body attacks the organ the same way it does any infection.

Answer 7

People that get organ transplants need to take an anti-immune medicine to prevent the body from rejected the donated organ.