[Management of older patients following solid organ transplantation]

Due to a continuous expansion of transplantation registers, such as the old-for-old program in Europe, the number of older patients treated with transplantation is increasing. At the same time the perioperative survival rates show a clear increase even in this patient collective (older than 65 years); therefore, the probability that the care of older patients after organ transplantation will be undertaken in the routine practice increases. This article describes the medical characteristics of older patients following organ transplantation. Special emphasis is placed on the management of accompanying diseases as well as possible side effects and interactions of immunosuppressive therapy.