Konakion

The blood clotting process is complicated, but begins when blood cells called platelets clump together at the site of damage and produce chemicals that activate clotting factors in the blood. Clotting factors are proteins that are produced by the liver. Vitamin K is essential for their production.

People who are deficient in vitamin K do not produce sufficient amounts of clotting factors. This increases the risk of bleeding. Phytomenadione can be used as a supplement for natural vitamin K, in order to promote the production of clotting factors by the liver and prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding.

Coumarin anticoagulants such as warfarin are medicines that are used to prevent dangerous blood clots forming inside the blood vessels. Warfarin works by preventing the action of vitamin K, so that production of clotting factors is decreased and blood clots are less likely to occur.

However, if the dose of warfarin is too high, the time taken for the blood to clot (for example in response to injury) can increase too much. This increases the risk of severe bleeding (haemorrhage). In this case, phytomenadione can be given to restore the activity of vitamin K and speed up the normal blood clotting process to prevent or treat bleeding. If bleeding is very severe, the medicine will be given by injection (Konakion MM).

Konakion tablets should be chewed or allowed to dissolve slowly in the mouth.

What is it used for?

- As an antidote to coumarin-type anticoagulants, eg warfarin
- Prevention and treatment of bleeding due to vitamin K deficiency

Warning!

- This medicine will not work as an antidote to heparin.

Use with caution in

- Elderly people

Not to be used in

- Allergy to any ingredient.
- Konakion tablets contain glucose, sucrose and lactose (skimmed milk powder) and are not suitable for people with rare galactose intolerance, Lapp lactase deficiency, fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

- This medicine should be used with caution during pregnancy and only if the benefits to the mother outweigh any risks to the baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
- This medicine can be used during breastfeeding. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

- No side effects have been reported with this medicine

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

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