Grafnos 2mg Capsule

What is Grafnos 2mg Capsule?

Grafnos 2mg contains a salt composition called Tacrolimus. It belongs to a group of medicines which are known as immunosuppressants. The drugs effectively weaken the immune system to make it easier for the body to adjust itself to the new organ that has been transplanted. The transplanted organ may be a heart, liver, or kidney. 

What Tacrolimus drug is used for?

Tacrolimus is sold under the brand name Prograf. It is manufactured in India by Akognos Life Sciences. Tacrolimus is used along with other medications to prevent rejection ( attack of a transplanted organ by the immune system of a person receiving the organ) in people who have a kidney transplant. It is used along with other medicines to prevent rejection in people who have received a liver or heart transplant. It is in a class of medications called immunosuppressants. It works to decrease the activity of the immune system to prevent it from attacking the transplanted organ.

What is transplant rejection?

Rejection is your body’s way of not accepting a kidney transplant. Rejection is most common in the first six months after surgery but it can occur at any time. Transplant rejection occurs when transplanted tissue is rejected by the recipient’s immune system., which destroys the transplanted tissue. 

What is a Kidney transplant?

A kidney transplant, sometimes known as a renal transplant, is a treatment for kidney failure at end-stage renal disease. Kidney transplant surgery is a major failure during which a person with kidney failure receives a new kidney either from a living donor or a deceased donor. A successful kidney transplant is the closest to natural kidney function and is considered the most effective treatment for a kidney transplant. It offers a chance for a longer and healthier life.

• What are the requirements of a kidney transplant?

Each hospital has its criteria but in general, candidates should have:

End-stage renal failure an be on dialysis

Late-stage chronic kidney disease

A life expectancy of at least five years

A full understanding of postoperative instructions and care.

What is a Liver transplant?

The liver is a vital organ, meaning that one cannot live without it. The liver serves many critical functions including metabolism of drugs and toxins, removing degradation products of normal body metabolism, and synthesis of many important proteins and enzymes. 

A liver transplant is an operation that replaces a patient’s diseased liver with a whole or partial healthy liver from another person. Transplantation is the only cure for insufficiency or liver failure because no device or machine performs all the functions of the liver. 

• What are the requirements of a liver transplant?

The minimum requirements for liver transplant are:

Signs of liver failure

Surgery and recovery

Risk of alcohol or drug abuse

Liver cancer 

Cirrhosis

What is a heart transplant?

A heart transplant is a surgery to remove the diseased heart from a person and replace it with a healthy one from an organ donor. To remove the heart from the donor, two or more healthcare providers must declare the donor brain dead. 

You may need a heart transplant if you have end-stage heart failure, a disease in which the heart muscle is failing severely in its attempt to pump blood through the body. It means other treatments are no longer working. End-stage heart failure is the final stage of heart failure.

• What are the requirements of a heart transplant?

Some causes of heart transplant include:

Heart attack

Viral infection

High blood pressure

Heart valve disease

Irregular heartbeats

Heart defects

Alcoholism or drugs abuse

Chronic lung disease

Low red blood cell count

Heart muscle is enlarged

Take Grafnos 2mg Capsule on an empty stomach or 2 to 3 hours after a meal or as directed by your healthcare provider. Take this medicine as long as your doctor tells you to do so. Before taking medicine consult your doctor. Dose and duration will be decided by the necessity and need of the patient. It depends on the treatment and may change from time to time. You should take medicine as per your doctor’s advice. This medicine is strictly not recommended for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. It takes some weeks and months to get a better result. Do not stop taking the medicine before your doctor’s advice.

Common side effects of this medicine include nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and difficulty sleeping. It lowers your immune system so you are more prone to infections. if these side effects become serious. Your doctor can prevent and give you relief from the side effects during the treatment. It makes you feel better.

The benefit of Grafnos 2mg Capsule

• In the treatment of prevention of transplantation rejection

Grafnos 2mg Capsule was as effective as both comparator medicines. After one year, 14% of patients receiving this medicine had experienced organ failure. The percentages were 15% in the patients treated with Advagraf and 17% in those treated with cyclosporin. Advagraf is more efficient to treat transplant patients with liver, kidney, or heart in comparison to other medicine. 

Side effects of Grafnos 2mg Capsule

Here are Some major and minor side effects of this medicine. But not all side effects need a doctor’s attention. If you observe any side effects become serious, You may consult your doctor.

Some of the common side effects of this medicine include:

Headache

Diarrhea

Dizziness

Nausea or vomiting

Swelling of feet or lower legs

Blurred vision

Sweating

Weight loss 

Back pain

Joint pain

Scaly skin

Loss of appetite

How is the Grafnos 2mg Capsule taken?

Take Grafnos 2mg Capsule on an empty stomach or 2 to 3 hours after a meal or as directed by your healthcare provider. Take this medicine as long as your doctor tells you to do so. Always take this medicine as per your doctor’s consultation. Dose and duration will decide your doctor. You are not allowed to crush, chew and break the medicine. Swallow it as a whole. Drink plenty of water. Do not miss the dose. If you miss a dose skip the missed dose and follow your schedule regularly on the next day. Do not double the dose. Take medicine every day on time as prescribed by your doctor. Much other medicine can affect this medicine so let your doctor know all medication you are using during the treatment.

How does the Grafnos 2mg Capsule work?

This medicine works to obstruct the action of Calcineurin, a substance found in the white blood cells known as T- lymphocytes. This prevents the T- lymphocytes from producing lymphokines, in case of a foreign particle is detected in the body.