imunosupresif

Immunosuppressive agents are medications or therapies designed to reduce or prevent the body's immune response, typically used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients, treat autoimmune diseases, or suppress immune reactions in inflammatory conditions. These agents work by targeting specific components of the immune system, such as lymphocytes, cytokines, or cellular pathways involved in immune activation.

Common classes of immunosuppressive drugs include calcineurin inhibitors like tacrolimus and cyclosporine, which inhibit T-cell activation; mTOR inhibitors such as sirolimus and everolimus, which affect lymphocyte proliferation; and corticosteroids, which reduce inflammation and suppress immune cell function. Other immunosuppressive agents include antimetabolites like azathioprine and mycophenolate mifenoil, which interfere with DNA synthesis in immune cells, and monoclonal antibodies like belatacept, which block co-stimulatory signals required for T-cell activation.

Immunosuppressive therapy is primarily used in medical settings where the immune system must be temporarily suppressed to achieve therapeutic benefits. This includes organ transplantation, where the body may reject a transplanted organ, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or multiple sclerosis, where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues. In some cases, immunosuppression may be used to manage severe allergic reactions or graft-versus-host disease following stem cell transplants.

However, prolonged or excessive immunosuppression carries significant risks, including increased susceptibility to infections, higher rates of certain cancers, and long-term organ damage. Patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy must receive careful monitoring to balance therapeutic benefits with potential complications. Additionally, these medications often require lifelong use in transplant recipients, necessitating lifelong adherence to medical regimens and regular follow-up care.