One of the most frequent complications that can occur in people who undergo a kidney transplant in Delhi is the presence of high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. In this post we will talk a little about the causes that can cause it, the consequences that can arise from it and what we can do to normalize the levels of lipids (fats) in blood.
Causes that can cause the increase of cholesterol and triglycerides
According to the top Nephrologist in Delhi, in kidney transplantation it is necessary to take some medications called immunosuppressants, which are responsible for avoiding rejection, and therefore, our body destroys the new kidney, which recognizes as strange. However, these drugs unfortunately have many side effects, and among them one of the most frequent is the rise in cholesterol and triglyceride levels. A) Yes:
Prednisone can increase lipids significantly. In the first weeks of the transplant, the doses are very high and slowly decrease until they can be suspended in some cases
Tacrolimus and Ciclosporin may have a slight effect in increasing these values:
But undoubtedly Rapamycin (Sirolimus) and Everolimus are the drugs that have the most potency in increasing blood lipids, so that in some cases it is necessary to suspend this treatment and modify it for another, when values soar and they cannot be controlled with the usual medication.
Another factor that influences the increase of fats is the tendency that is observed in the period just after the transplant to gain weight. In this, many factors influence again, such as medication (especially prednisone), rest after the operation, the feeling of being on a freer diet than on dialysis and being able to eat everything … In any case, the Weight gain, among many other negative effects causes a proportional increase in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in blood, says best Nephrologist in Delhi.
Finally, it must be borne in mind that transplant recipients frequently take a large number of drugs other than immunosuppressants, among which are: drugs to lower blood pressure, for the heart, diuretics (to increase the volume of urine), that contribute to elevate the fat of our organism. Thus, it seems that there is no single cause, but the sum of many, states Nephrologist in Gurgaon.
Possible consequences of elevation of cholesterol and triglyceride levels
In the transplanted people, one of the main causes of death are cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarctions, angina pectoris, cerebral infarcts …). Well, high values of cholesterol and triglycerides can cause the onset of these diseases, along with many other factors, among which are: smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, if we control cholesterol we will be helping to reduce the risk of suffering a cardiovascular disease in the future, recommends Nephrologist in Delhi.
How can we reduce cholesterol and triglycerides?
Once discussed the negative consequences of high cholesterol and triglyceride values, we will see what we can do to reduce them:
The first thing will be to start with diet. If we have any restriction of potassium or sugar, we must conform to these recommendations, but as a general rule should be increased the consumption of fruits and vegetables (monitoring if there is potassium restriction), reduce the consumption of especially saturated fats (pastries, products industrial, precooked, sweet …) and strengthen fiber consumption. Olive oil should be used for cooking, instead of sunflower oil or butter.
In parallel to the diet, the increase in physical activity should be increased (taking into account that in the immediate period after the transplant, no physical activity should be done) and that within a few weeks if the wound progresses well, some soft activity An aerobic activity such as walking, running, cycling, swimming, or more relaxed exercises such as yoga or tai-chi is always preferable. The key is regularity, it’s no use to go 30 km by bike if you do not get the bicycle again the following month, it will be much better to walk one hour every day.
If cholesterol and / or triglycerides are not controlled with the above measures, it is time to add medications. The most commonly used are statins (Atorvastatin, Simvastatin, Fluvastatin, Pitavastatin, Rosuvastatin …). They are safe medications, but sometimes when they are used at high doses can cause pain in the muscles (especially in the legs), which require to suspend them. In case that treatment cannot be given or another drug needs to be associated with statins, Ezetimibe could be used, but its potency is a little lower.
In any case, although we have a medication treatment to normalize fats, we must always do diet and exercise and not think that taking a pill we do not have to do anything, because otherwise the treatment will not be effective, says Nephrologist in Noida.
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