An Evaluation of a New Anticoagulant, Acenocoumarin (Sintrom)

A new coumarin anticoagulant, acenocoumarin (Sintrom) is compared with other hypoprothrombinemic agents in the same human subjects. Comparing doses which result in the same peak prothrombin time, both speed of onset and duration of effect are found to be a function of the rate of biotransformation. Rapid biotransformation results in fast onset and short duration of action and vice versa. Sintrom is intermediate between the slow, long-acting compounds (Dicumarol, Warfarin, Coumopyrin) and the fast, short-acting Tromexan. One 16 to 32 mg. dose of Sintrom rapidly results in a desirable hypoprothrombinemia which is maintained by a single daily dose of 2 to 10 mg.