Marcumar® Table
The active ingredient of Marcumar® is phenprocoumon and belongs to the group of vitamin K antagonists. Marcumar® should be dosed at the beginning of the therapy. A standard schedule is available here for the first three days of therapy.
This can be deviated from depending on body weight and general condition. Marcumar® is taken by os (via the food route) in tablet form. The dosage scheme is as follows: 1st day of treatment: take 3 tablets at once 2nd day of treatment: take 2 tablets at once From 3rd day of treatment: regular blood checks (INR value) to check the effect In the dosage phase, therapy with heparin should also be carried out. The heparin should be discontinued after three days. If the INR is in the target range (2-3), a maintenance dose depending on the INR value 8International Normalized Ratio) between 0.25-1.25 tablets should be taken from the 4th day.
Dosage of Marcumar® according to Quick value
The quick value is a laboratory parameter for measuring blood coagulation. Since the laboratory parameter varies from laboratory to laboratory, the quick-value is increasingly being replaced by the INR (International Normalized Ratio). This is more comparable among laboratories because it does not show such a high variability. The INR is therefore more meaningful than the quick value.
Can the dosage of Marcumar® be calculated?
The dosage of Marcumar® is not calculated, but is based on the blood value INR. This is a value that is used to control blood coagulation. By the Marcumar® therapy a value between 2 to 3 INR should be reached.
If the value is below 2, the blood is too viscous and the dosage of Marcumar® should be increased. Regular blood checks ensure the correct individual dosage. If the dosage is too high or too low, a dose adjustment can be made immediately.
It is important to note that if there are symptoms of insufficient blood coagulation (many bruises without an injury mechanism) or insatiable bleeding, a doctor must be consulted to check the INR value. Marcumar® prevents the synthesis of some coagulation factors. These factors are produced dependent on vitamin K. Because the vitamin K is no longer available, these factors are no longer synthesized.
The disadvantage of Marcumar® is that its effect can only be counteracted by the administration of vitamin K or by synthetically produced coagulation factors (prothrombin concentrate). However, it takes a few days before the vitamin K takes effect. For this reason, Marcumar® must be discontinued approximately seven days before planned operations. During this time, heparin can be injected as an alternative. You should always remember to check your blood values regularly.
