Find specific information about your innohep® treatment here
Your doctor will start by assessing the severity of your DVT along with other risk factors, such as whether you are currently undergoing cancer treatment. You may be prescribed tablets, injections or a combination of both and other treatments may also be available.If you are unsure of why your doctor chose innohep® as a treatment, feel free to ask. The answer may help you understand your treatment process better.
innohep® is a low molecular weight heparin
The active ingredient in innohep® is called tinzaparin sodium (TIN-za PAR- in). The name does not exactly roll off the tongue, but when your doctor says low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), he or she is referring to a type of anticoagulant, which is a medicine that slows down the body’s natural clotting process.Specifically LMWH anticoagulants inhibit the blood’s “coagulation cascade”, which is the series of steps and triggers that happen when the blood begins to clot. LMWH medicines interrupt this series by attaching to specific enzymes in the cascade and preventing them from working. As a result, the next factor in the coagulation cascade does not get triggered and the clotting process is slowed.
You may have a blood test before you start using this medicine and at intervals while you are using it; this is to check the level of the clotting cells (platelets) and potassium in your blood.
Elderly people
Because kidney problems are more likely if you are elderly, you may have a blood test to check how well your kidneys are working and to monitor the activity of innohep®.Children and adolescents
innohep® is not intended for use in children and adolescents under the age of 18 years.Other medicines and innohep®
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes any medicines bought without a prescription.The ingredients of innohep®
The innohep® syringe contains a preservative called sodium metabisulphite. This may cause an allergic reaction which may result in breathing difficulties. innohep® is nearly “sodium free”. Your medicine contains less than 23 milligrams (mg) of sodium per dose.Please ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are worried about any of the ingredients in this medicine.
How much innohep® to use
The dose depends on your weight and this will be worked out by your doctor who prescribes it for you. You will have one dose of innohep® each day for at least 6 days.The treatment may be continued for up to 6 months if you have a solid tumour (a particular type of cancer).
How to use innohep®
Your doctor may decide that you or a carer may inject this medicine. You will be shown how to do the injection and should only inject yourself when you have been instructed on how to do so.Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor, pharmacist or nurse has told you. Check with one of them if you are not sure that you understand how to do the injection or if you are unsure about anything else to do with the medicine.
How to inject yourself with innohep®
Ideally you should inject at the same time every day; this helps to maintain a steady level of the medicine in your body. Click here to learn how to inject yourself with innohep®.If you use more innohep® than you should
If you feel unwell or think you may have been given too much, tell your doctor or nurse straight away. You may need to be given another injection of a medicine to stop you bleeding.If you have missed a dose of innohep®
If you think that you have missed a dose, it is important that you talk to your doctor or nurse as soon as you remember and get advice on what to do.Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The side effects most often reported are blood problems and skin reactions, especially where your injection has been given.Click here for more information about important side effects to look out for.
How to store innohep®
Keep innohep® out of the sight and reach of children. innohep® must not be used after the expiry date which is stated on the label (marked EXP). innohep® does not need to be refrigerated, but it should not be stored above 25°. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use.Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctors, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet.- UK: You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard
- Ireland: You can also report side effects directly via HPRA Pharmacovigilance, Earlsfort Terrace, IRL-Dublin 2 Tel: +353 1 6764971; Fax: +353 1 6762517. Website: www.hpra.ie; E-mail: medsafety@hpra.ie
You can find further information about using innohep® in the Package leaflet available for both UK and IE here:
