What are the reasons for too low quick values?
The cause of too low quick values can be caused on the one hand by a synthesis disorder of the liver. The liver produces all important coagulation factors that are essential for blood clotting. Thus, patients suffering from liver cirrhosis can suffer complications such as bleeding, since liver cirrhosis is to be understood as a scarred remodelling of the liver tissue, which is accompanied by an irreversible loss of function.
Another cause of a too low Quick value can be an overdose of anticoagulant drugs such as Marcumar®. Marcumar® prevents contact with vitamin K, which is important for the coagulation factors. As a result, the vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors cannot activate each other, which leads to a longer bleeding time and thus to a lower quick value. In order to avoid this, drugs have been developed which inhibit only individual clotting factors in a more targeted manner and which show less interaction with other drugs. These drugs also cause fewer complications and are very easy to neutralize in case of overdose.
What should the quick value for Marcumar® be?
Marcumar® is a drug that prevents the activation of certain coagulation factors by neutralizing vitamin K. What the quick fix for treatment with Marcumar® should be depends entirely on the individual reason for the therapy. In general, the extended coagulation time with Marcumar® is used to prevent thromboses and the resulting embolisms. So if a patient has experienced events such as thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, heart attack or stroke in the past, treatment with Marcumar® may be considered.
The target range is then a quick 22-37% (INR 2-3). This is also the target range for existing atrial fibrillation of the heart. After installation of a mechanical heart valve, the Quick should then be between 18 and 28% (INR 2.5-3.5). In principle, the coagulation parameters must be checked regularly to prevent possible complications such as bleeding. Basically, it must be said that newer drugs show a better controllability of the anticoagulation, so that fewer controls are necessary.
