Patient Information Leaflet for Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg

What is in your medicine?

Each tablet contains 12.63mg of menadiol sodium diphosphate, which is equivalent to 10mg of the active ingredient menadiol diphosphate. The tablets also contain lactose, maize starch, talc and magnesium stearate, which are included to aid the manufacture of the tablets and to help them disperse in your stomach.

Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg are supplied in containers of 100.

Menadiol diphosphate is a man-made form of vitamin K, also known as vitamin K4. Vitamin K is involved in the process of blood clotting and a deficiency of vitamin K can lead to unwanted bleeding.

The holder of the product licence for this medicine is

The tablets are made by

What are Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg for?

Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg are used to treat or prevent excessive bleeding in certain situations, for example after surgery and in some forms of jaundice when the body may be unable to absorb sufficient vitamin K from the diet.

Before taking your medicine

IMPORTANT - Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg should not be given to babies or very young infants.

Each tablet contains 183.6mg of lactose. When taken as recommended each daily dose supplies up to three-quarters of a gram of lactose. Unsuitable for people with lactase insufficiency, galactosaemia or glucose/galactose malabsorption syndrome.

If you need any other medical treatment or surgery whilst taking Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg, remember to tell the doctor or dentist treating you that you are taking this medicine. Most other medicines may be taken safely with Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg, except for tablets to thin the blood which have an opposite effect to that of menadiol diphosphate.

WOMEN - Do not take Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg if you are pregnant (or think you may be) unless your doctor has told you that you can.

It is particularly important not to take Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg in late pregnancy or during labour.

Taking your medicine

Your doctor or pharmacist will have told you about this, and you should always follow their instructions carefully. Menadiol Diphosphate tablets 10mg are for oral administration. The usual adult dose is one to four tablets daily, whilst children may be given from one-half of a tablet up to two tablets daily.

If you forget to take a dose of Menadiol Diphosphate tablets 10mg at the right time, take it as soon as you remember unless your next dose is due within a couple of hours. In this case you should skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take double doses. The same applies if you forget to give a dose to your child at the right time.

If you or anyone else accidentally swallows a large number of Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg, do not panic as they are unlikely to cause any serious harm but obtain medical advice immediately.

While taking your medicine

It is very unlikely that you (or your child) will suffer any side-effects from taking Menadiol Diphosphate Tablets 10mg. Very occasionally the use of these tablets can cause destruction of the red blood cells, leading to anaemia and jaundice. If you think that you have become anaemic or you notice any yellowing of the skin, please tell your doctor straight away.

If you think you or your child have any other side-effect from taking this medicine, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

How to store your medicine

• Do not take the tablets after the expiry date on the label.
• Keep the tablets in their original container, at room temperature (below 30°C) and away from direct light.
• Keep all medicines out of the reach of children - preferably in a locked cupboard or medicine cabinet.

Date of preparation of this leaflet: February 2002