Diet therapy for organ transplantation. A problem-based approach

Nutrition plays a vital role in the recovery, health, and life expectancy of transplant recipients. Because the medical problems differ between the acute recovery and chronic maintenance phases following transplantation, nutrient requirements and nutrition therapies are unique and distinctly different between these 2 periods. Nutrition therapy during the acute post-transplant phase is aimed at promoting healing. Nutrition and pharmaceutical therapies during the long-term post-transplant phase are intended to prevent and treat common problems such as obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and osteoporosis. Nutrition goals and therapies should be individualized based on the specific complications each patient experiences.