Marcumar® contains the active ingredient phenprocoumon and is an anticoagulant drug belonging to the group of coumarins and vitamin K antagonists. It inhibits the vitamin K-dependent formation of the coagulation factors II, VII, IX and X, which takes place in the liver. Furthermore, Marcumar® suppresses the formation of protein C and S, which serve as coagulation modulators and are also formed in dependence on vitamin K. Marcumar® therefore inhibits human blood clotting by preventing the production of the aforementioned clotting factors.
In layman’s terms, Marcumar® is also known as a “blood-thinning” drug. Although the use of Marcumar® does not result in blood thinning in the actual sense, blood clotting is inhibited to such an extent that the risk of thrombus formation in the blood vessels is reduced. Marcumar® is therefore an important component in the therapy or prevention of vascular occlusion caused by a thrombus (blood clot).
Since Marcumar® only intervenes in the formation of vitamin K-dependent blood coagulation factors, the coagulation factors already formed remain unaffected by the effect of Marcumar®. The effect of Marcumar®, in contrast to heparin, which acts immediately, thus only sets in after about two days and reaches its full effectiveness after about five days. The coagulation-inhibiting effect of Marcumar® is controlled by the physician with the so-called INR value, which is determined over the blood.
Marcumar® and alcohol
Many patients often wonder whether they are allowed to drink alcohol while taking certain medications. Alcohol, also known as ethanol, is an intoxicating and stimulant. Alcohol is absorbed through the mucous membrane in the mouth, stomach and small intestine.
The absorption of the drinking alcohol takes about an hour and depends on whether and how much was eaten before. The liver is the place where most of the alcohol is metabolized. The two enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase play the most important role here.
The so-called microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS) metabolises drinking alcohol, especially when alcohol concentrations increase. A very small amount of alcohol is excreted from the body through respiration. In principle, there is nothing to be said against an occasional consumption of alcohol. However, since the effect of Marcumar® is very complex and depends on many external factors, including the patient’s eating habits, one should be a little more careful when drinking alcohol. Depending on the amount and regularity of alcohol drinking, the Marcumar effect can be increased or decreased.
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