Follow-Up Care After Heart Transplant Surgery
For the first four weeks after surgery, you will come to Duke for testing and follow-up care once a week. You will not be able to drive for six weeks after surgery, so your caregiver will need to bring you to these appointments. If you don’t live close to Duke, you may want to find temporary lodging nearby during this time. Your transplant coordinator can help you make these arrangements.
At every follow-up visit, you will meet with members of your transplant team and undergo testing to see how well you’re healing, monitor any medication side effects, and look for signs of rejection. Over time, these visits will occur less often, but you will still need to return to Duke for follow-up appointments -- in most cases every six to twelve months. You can also follow up with your local cardiologist if you live far away from Duke.
Typical Follow-Up Schedule
| Time After Transplant |
Frequency of Follow-Up Visits |
| Month 1 |
Weekly for 4 weeks |
| Month 2 |
Every other week |
| Months 3-6 |
Every month |
| Months 8-12 |
Every other month |
| Year 2 |
Every 3 months |
| Year 3 and beyond |
Every 6 months |
Preventing Heart Transplant Rejection
Healthy Habits After Heart Transplant Surgery
You play an important role in maintaining the health of your new heart. Staying alert to changes in your health and following the recommendations of your transplant team can help you make the most of life after transplant surgery.
Medications
In addition to lifelong immunosuppression drugs, you may need to take other types of medications. For instance, you may take medicines to help you avoid infections or to reduce the risk and severity of coronary artery vasculopathy.
Monitoring Vital Signs
To help your transplant team track your progress and adjust your medications, you will be asked to record your weight and vital signs and bring these records to your follow-up appointments. Changes in blood pressure, heart rate (pulse), temperature, and fluid status (weight) may indicate a need for medical attention.
Honoring Your Pre-Transplant Commitment
Smoking or using tobacco products can cause heart damage. Alcohol may interfere with your anti-rejection medications and can harm your kidneys and liver. Honor your pre-transplant commitment to care for your new heart by avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol. We offer smoking and tobacco cessation programs to help you stay healthy.
Avoiding Infection
While your immunosuppression medications help your body accept your new heart, they also increase the risk for infections, such as a cold, the flu, or other viral illnesses. This risk is greatest when you are on high doses of medication -- usually the first six to twelve months after your transplant or during an episode of rejection when your dose is increased. You can lower your risk for infection by consistently washing your hands, avoiding people who are sick, and getting vaccines as recommend by your doctor.
Seeking Support
As a Duke heart transplant recipient, you are our patient for life. We can provide you and your caregivers the resources and support you need -- right after surgery and in the years to come. Our transplant coordinators are always available to answer any questions and address your concerns. They can also connect you to other donor heart recipients at Duke.
