Acenocoumarol (Ass-senn-oh-kew-mah-rol) is a medicine which is used in treatment and prevention of thromboembolic diseases.

To get the most benefit from your medicine, take it exactly as prescribed. You should also take care to look after your medicine.

This medicine may be available from different manufacturers and in several different forms and so you should check the Patient Information Leaflet or the medicine label for exact details on when and how to take it and how to look after it.

Medicines are used to treat, control or prevent a condition. Some medicines will give you immediate relief from your symptoms while others take much longer to work.

Acenocoumarol has been prescribed for your current medical problems and should not be used for other medical problems. Do not share your medicine with other people as it may not be suitable for them and could cause them harm. In the same way, you should not use medicines that belong to other people.

The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should take. It also tells you how often to take your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should take. Depending on your response to the medicine, how the medicine works and the goals of your treatment, your prescriber may vary your dose. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.

Acenocoumarol is used to prevent and treat blood clots. It works by blocking the production of chemicals that are needed to form a blood clot. Acenocoumarol may also prevent existing clots from getting bigger. This can help to prevent some of the more serious problems that can be caused by larger blood clots.

The dose of Acenocoumarol needs to be carefully adjusted and regular blood tests are needed to decide the right dose for each person. It is important that you understand and follow your prescriber's instructions. For more information, speak to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse.

Other information about Acenocoumarol:

If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.

Some medicines work best if they are taken at a specific time of day. Getting the most benefit from your medicine can also be affected by what you eat, when you eat and the times at which you take other medicines.

Specific information on when to take Acenocoumarol can be found in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine or on the medicine label. You can also ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about when to take your medicine.

Some medicines have specific instructions about how to take them. This is because they work better when taken correctly. These instructions can include getting the right dose and special instructions for preparing the medicine.

Specific information on how to take Acenocoumarol can be found in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine or on the medicine label. Alternatively, you can request information about how to take your medicine from your doctor or pharmacist.

If you are having problems taking this form of Acenocoumarol, you should talk to your prescriber or pharmacist. They may be able to give you advice on other ways to take your medicine or other preparations that are easier for you to take.

Taking extra doses of some medicines can be harmful. In some cases even one extra dose can cause you problems. If you take extra doses of your medicine, you must get medical advice immediately. You may need a test to assess the effect of taking extra doses. This is because the effects of taking too much medicine are very complex and it is therefore essential that you seek medical advice.

Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.

Make sure you take all of your medicine containers with you if you are advised to go to hospital.

If you are having any problems taking your medicine you must speak to your prescriber. If you are not having any problems taking this medicine then do not stop taking it, even if you feel better, unless advised to do so by your prescriber.

If your medical team decides that it is best that you do not take this medicine any more, they may advise that you do not stop Acenocoumarol abruptly. This is because, in some instances, stopping Acenocoumarol abruptly can cause your original condition to return. In these instances, reducing the dose of Acenocoumarol gradually over time may reduce the chances of this happening.

If you are in any doubt, contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

The instructions on how you should keep your medicine are on the pharmacy label. It is a good idea to keep your medicine in the original container. This will help to keep your medicine in the best condition and also allow you to check the instructions. Do not take the medicine if the packaging appears to have been tampered with or if the medicine shows any signs of damage. Make sure that the medicine is out of the sight and reach of children.

Specific information on how to look after Acenocoumarol can be found in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine or on the medicine label. Alternatively, you can request information about how to look after your medicine from your doctor or pharmacist.

You must not take the medicine after the expiry date shown on the packaging. If you have any unused medicine, return it to your pharmacist who will dispose of it safely.

Your prescriber will not give you this medicine if they know of any reasons why you must not take it. Sometimes it is necessary to prescribe this medicine with extra caution. For more information see the ‘Whether this medicine is suitable for you’ section.

If you have been prescribed this medicine you need to be aware of the side-effects that you could develop while taking this medicine. For more information see the 'Side-effects' section.

Acenocoumarol is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

Furthermore, the prescriber may not prescribe this medicine for a child or for people who are senile or are unable to co-operate.

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Acenocoumarol can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Acenocoumarol has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience. Very occasionally, certain side-effects can be beneficial.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown

• gastrointestinal problems
• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• allergic reactions
• urticaria
• skin rash or rashes
• fever
• hair loss
• skin problems
• increased risk of bleeding - this may be fatal
• liver problems
• vasculitis

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

If you have been prescribed this medicine you and your prescriber may need to think about whether you need to change any of your everyday activities. You must also discuss with your prescriber any other medicines and any complementary preparations you are taking.

If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Acenocoumarol:

The following types of medicine may interact with Acenocoumarol:

If you are taking Acenocoumarol and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.

Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins.

Make sure you tell your prescriber the names of all the complementary preparations and vitamins that you are taking or are planning to take.

Your prescriber can then decide whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact.

In the case of Acenocoumarol:

If you have been prescribed Acenocoumarol you should only take something on the above list on the specific advice of your prescriber or pharmacist.

When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.

Like all medicines Acenocoumarol can cause side effects. You should see how this medicine affects you and then judge if you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt, talk to your prescriber.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Acenocoumarol:

For more advice speak to your prescriber, nutritionist or pharmacist.

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Acenocoumarol:

If you choose to drink alcohol while taking this medicine, it is best that you only drink alcohol in moderation. For more advice speak to your prescriber.

Taking this medicine could have an impact on your decisions relating to family planning, pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Acenocoumarol:

This medicine is not suitable during pregnancy. It is essential that you seek urgent medical advice if you become pregnant or think you have become pregnant while taking this medicine.

If you are planning to become pregnant, you should discuss your personal circumstances with your doctor so that together you can make a decision about what treatment you may need during your pregnancy.

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.

In the case of Acenocoumarol:

Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They will help you decide what is best for you and your baby based on the benefits and risks associated with this medicine. You should only breast-feed your baby while taking this medicine on the advice of your doctor or midwife.

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may also contain other, additional ingredients that help ensure the stability, safety and effectiveness of the medicine. They are also added to improve the medicine's taste and appearance and to make it easier to take. Some may be used to prolong the life of the medicine.

This medicine contains acenocoumarol.

We are unable to list all of the ingredients for your medicine here. For a full list, you should refer to the patient information leaflet that comes with this medicine. You should check that you are able to take the ingredients of your medicine, especially if you have any allergies. You should also check whether any of these ingredients are known to have side-effects.

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients in your medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. If you have reacted badly to Acenocoumarol before, do not take Acenocoumarol. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.