MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL

Department of Pharmacy

Department of Nursing

Critical Care

Generic Name: Tacrolimus (Commonly referred to as FK506, which was its study name)
Trade Name: Prograf
Actions: Inhibition of T-lymphocyte activation, thus suppressing allograft rejection
Indications: Adjunct for prevention of rejection in allogeneic liver transplants
Administration Guidelines:
Usual Dosage Range and Route: 0.05 - 0.10 mg/kg/day as a continuous IV dose.
Adults should receive dose at lower end of range; children at higher end of range. (So for a 70kg adults, total daily dose would be 3.5mg, to run over 24hours/day). Can be given via Peripheral IV.
Standard Concentrations: 1 millimeter ampule contains 5 mg of Prograf

Can be mixed in either NS or D5W

Concentrate should be 0.004-0.02mg/ml

Special Considerations: · Use IV form only when approved by chief, transplantation services, because it is extremely toxic; preferably use PO form, if possible.                   
·Probable therapeutic level is 11-15ng/ml; possible toxicity at 25ng/ml
·Although reagent is available to monitor blood levels, there is none that is FDA approved at this time, so levels are still sent to outside lab (Call TU for instructions)
·Similar drug interactions as with cyclosporine
Precautions and Side Effects: ·Tremor

·Headache

·Diarrhea

·Hypertension

·Nausea

·Renal Dysfunction

·Hyperkalemia, hyperlycemia, hypomagnesemia

·Anemia

 


 

 

revised 07/07