MAREVAN™ Tablets - Medsafe

1 MAREVAN Tablets Warfarin Tablets 1 mg, 3 mg and 5 mg New Zealand Consumer Medicine Information What is in this leaflet Anticoagulants decrease the clotting ability of the blood and help prevent Please read this leaflet carefully a harmful clot (thrombus) from before you start using MAREVAN. forming in the blood vessels. Before you take Anticoagulants are used as treatment MAREVAN. This leaflet answers some common for certain blood vessel, heart and questions about MAREVAN. It does lung conditions. When you must not take it not contain all the available information. It does not take the MAREVAN interferes with the Do not take MAREVAN if you place of talking to your doctor or function of certain factors, which are have an allergy to any: pharmacist. responsible for blood clotting. Medicine containing warfarin All medicines have risks and These factors require a vitamin called Vitamin K in order to function. The Of the ingredients listed at the benefits.

2 Your doctor has weighed end of this leaflet. the risks of you taking MAREVAN amount of Vitamin K in your body against the benefits they expect it influences how well your blood clots. Other similar medicines. will have for you. Your doctor or pharmacist may Some of the symptoms of an allergic If you have any concerns about advise you on your diet as some reaction may include: taking this medicine, ask your foods such as large amounts of leafy Severe skin rash, itching or hives green vegetables, dairy products doctor or pharmacist. Swelling of the face, lips, mouth fortified with vitamin K, fats and Keep this leaflet with the medicine. or throat oils, contain vitamin K. You may need to read it again. Difficulty breathing and MAREVAN Tablets are used in swallowing conditions such as: Fever Coronary occlusions (blockage in blood vessels of the heart) Low blood pressure What MAREVAN. Tablets are used for Deep vein thrombosis (clots in Do not take this medicine if you veins) are pregnant.

3 MAREVAN is used for the treatment Pulmonary embolism (blocking It may affect your developing baby if and management of conditions of blood vessels in the lungs) you take it during pregnancy. If you whereby the formation of blood clots are considering becoming pregnant Peripheral vascular has prevented free-flow of blood , while taking this medicine, talk to thromboembolic states (blockage especially in the veins. your doctor who can discuss the risks of blood vessels in different parts blood clots in the body can reduce and benefits with you. of the body). the amount of oxygen and nutrients Do not take this medicine if you Your doctor may have prescribed delivered to body tissues and organs suffer from: MAREVAN for another reason. as well as affect the removal of waste Bleeding in the brain from tissues and organs. This affects Ask your doctor if you have any (haemorrhagic stroke). body functions. questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.

4 Bleeding tendencies MAREVAN contains an active ingredient called warfarin. It is a This medicine is available only with Do not take MAREVAN if you are: synthetic, anticoagulant agent which a doctor's prescription. Within 72 hours of major surgery belongs to the coumarin family of with risk of severe bleeding anticoagulants. Some people refer to During the first 48 hours after anticoagulants as " blood thinners". giving birth MAREVAN Tablets 1. Taking medicines that dissolve Your doctor may need to reduce your If you do not understand the blood clots such as streptokinase dosage. instructions on the bottle, ask your or altepase (these are known as If you have not told your doctor doctor or pharmacist for help. fibrinolytic or thrombolytic about any of the above, tell medicines) him/her before you start taking How much to take About to undergo dental surgery MAREVAN. Take MAREVAN as directed by Do not take this medicine after the your doctor or pharmacist.

5 Never expiry date printed on the pack or Taking other medicines change the dose yourself. if the packaging is torn or shows MAREVAN interacts with other Your doctor and pharmacist will be signs of tampering. medications, herbal remedies (St able to tell you: If it has expired or is damaged, return John's Wort), vitamins, alcohol, how many Tablets to take at each it to your pharmacist for disposal. and many foods and food dose supplements (cranberry juice). If you are not sure whether you how many doses to take each day You must tell your doctor or should start taking this medicine, pharmacist if you are taking any when to take each of your doses talk to your doctor. other medication including The label on the pack that the Tablets medicines that you buy without a were supplied in will give the same Before you start to take it prescription from a pharmacy, information. If there is something Tell your doctor if you have supermarket or health food shop.

6 That you do not understand ask either allergies to any other medicines, In particular, tell your doctor if you your doctor or pharmacist. foods, preservatives or dyes. are taking: The usual starting dose of Tell your doctor if you have or Aspirin MAREVAN is 10 to 15 mg daily, have had any of the following depending on your age and weight. medically confirmed conditions: Medications called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Elderly people may require smaller A deficiency in Protein C (NSAIDs) ibuprofen doses as they are more sensitive to Bleeding tendencies Medications that treat: the effects of MAREVAN. Heart problems blood clots or which affect the Your doctor will do some blood tests Liver or kidney disease clotting of your blood in order to check how well your blood is clotting in order to Severe high blood pressure heart/cardiovascular disease determine how much MAREVAN. Intestinal disease (such as coeliac angina or after you've had you need to take.)

7 Disease) a heart attack If you have any questions about the A stroke caused by a blood clot gout dose that you have been prescribed (ischaemic stroke) depression you should ask your doctor or An ulcer in your stomach or There are various other medications pharmacist. duodenum (peptic ulcer) which may interact with MAREVAN. How to take MAREVAN. Problems with your thyroid your doctor or pharmacist will have a complete list of the medicines that MAREVAN Tablets may be Long lasting illness may cause problems when taken with swallowed whole with a glass of Weight loss or gain MAREVAN. water. Diarrhoea and/or vomiting Warfarin resistance When to take it Genetic variability How to take Take your medicine at about the same time each day. Lactose or galactose intolerance MAREVAN. Taking it at the same time each day Tell your doctor if you are breast- Follow all directions given to you will have the best effect. It will also feeding. by your doctor or pharmacist help you remember when to take it.

8 Your doctor can discuss with you the carefully. It does not matter if you take this risks and benefits involved. They may differ from the medicine before or after food. Tell your doctor if you have given information contained in this leaflet. up smoking. MAREVAN Tablets 2. How long to take it If you are going to have surgery, Side effects tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that Continue taking your medicine for you are taking this medicine. Tell your doctor or pharmacist as as long as your doctor tells you. If you become pregnant while soon as possible if you do not feel If you forget to take it taking this medicine, tell your well while you are taking doctor immediately. MAREVAN. If you have just missed your Keep all of your doctor's All medicines can have some side scheduled dose, take it as soon as you remember and continue as appointments so that your progress effects. Sometimes they are serious, before. can be checked. most of the time they are not.

9 Your See your doctor if you feel that you doctor or pharmacist will be able to If you have forgotten to take one answer any questions you may have. dose of MAREVAN and it is condition is not improving or getting worse. If you think you are having an almost time to take your next scheduled dose, then skip the dose Your doctor may do some tests from allergic (hypersensitivity) reaction to you have missed, and continue time to time to make sure the MAREVAN, TELL YOUR. medicine is working and to prevent DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY. taking your MAREVAN as unwanted side effects. Symptoms include: directed by your doctor or pharmacist. Severe skin rash, itching or hives If you have forgotten to take more Things you must not do Swelling of the face, lips, mouth than one dose contact your doctor Do not take MAREVAN to treat or throat or pharmacist for advice. any other complaints unless your Difficulty breathing and Do not take a double dose to make doctor tells you to.

10 Swallowing up for the dose that you have Do not give your medicine to Fever missed. anyone else, even if they have the Low blood pressure same condition as you. If you take too much Other side effects reported with Do not stop taking your medicine (overdose) MAREVAN are: or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor. Headache Immediately telephone your doctor or the National Poisons Centre Your doctor will advise you when to Seizures (telephone 0800 POISON or 0800 stop taking MAREVAN. Chest pain, rapid heart rate and 764 766), or go to accident and shortness of breath If you are unsure whether you should emergency at your nearest stop taking MAREVAN talk to your Skin rash hospital, if you think that you may doctor or pharmacist. have taken too much, or if anyone Hair loss else has taken any MAREVAN. Do Things to be careful of Diarrhoea this even if there are no signs of Purple coloured toes or you feel discomfort or poisoning.