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Vitamin K (Phytonadione, Mephyton, AquaMephyton)

Category:

  • Vitamin

Description:

  • Dietary supplement; fat-soluble vitamin

Indications:

  • Vitamin K deficiency

  • Coagulation disorders (blood clotting factors)

  • Anticoagulant-induced prothrombin deficiency

  • Prophylaxis and treatment of hemorrhagic disease in newborn

  • Warfarin overdose antidote

Contraindications:

  • Avoid intravenous administration unless unavoidable.  Administer SQ or IM, if IV must be used give very slowly, not exceeding 1mg per minute.

Precautions:

  • Pregnancy category C

  • Vitamin K deficiency is

  • Patients may develop hypervitaminosis K with excessive intravenous dosages.  Symptoms of hypervitaminosis are “flushing sensations”, taste changes and rarely, dizziness sweating and rapid and weak pulse.

  • Vitamin K will NOT reverse the anticoagulant effects of heparin.

  • Reversal of coumarin class (warfarin) anticoagulation takes from 1-2 hours.

  • Vitamin K is excreted into breast milk.

Adverse Reactions (Side Effects):

Relatively non-toxic in therapeutic doses

Hyperbilirubinemia in newborns, occurring at doses greater than recommended.

Dosage:

  • Dietary sources: pork, liver, green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli), GI flora can produce from diet

  • Administered in oral soft gelatin capsules or injection

  • Dietary supplementation (RDA: recommended daily allowance):

    • Infants: 10-20mcg

    • Children: 15-100mcg

    • Adult males: 45-80 mcg per day

    • Adults females: 45-65 mcg per day

  • Anticoagulant-induced prothrombin deficiency: 2.5-10mg per day (up to 25mg initially)

  • Hemorrhagic disease in newborn:

    • prophylaxis: single IM dose 0.5-1mg within 1 hour of birth, may repeat in 2-3 weeks.  Mother may receive 1-5mg 12-24 hours before delivery.  Oral doses of 2mg are adequate.

    • treatment: 1mg SQ or IM, in conjunction with proper laboratory testing of PT.

  • Hypoprothrombinemia in adults:

    • 2.5-25mg.  Amount and route of administration depends on severity of disease.

 

 


The information contained here is an abbreviated summary. For more detailed and complete information, consult the manufacturer's product information sheets or standard textbooks

Source: Operational Medicine 2001,  Health Care in Military Settings, NAVMED P-5139, May 1, 2001, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy, 2300 E Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20372-5300

This information is provided by The Brookside Associates.  The Brookside Associates, LLC. is a private organization, not affiliated with any governmental agency. The opinions presented here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Brookside Associates or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. All material presented here is unclassified.

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