Spectrophotometric assays for warfarin sodium and dicumarol. Use in rapid detection of patients suspected of drug intoxication or surreptitious noningestion.

The usefulness of assays for the rapid identification and determination of quantitative plasma levels of warfarin sodium and dicumarol is documented by the case histories of five patients: a man who accidentally took dicumarol for several weeks and developed an acute condition within the abdomen, a man who ingested 500 mg of warfarin sodium in a suicide attempt, a malingering nurse who surreptitiously took dicumarol, a nurse with warfarin intoxication who did not follow dosage prescription because of fear of developing thrombosis, and a woman with calf vein thrombosis who did not ingest the administered warfin sodium becausing of fear of developing bleeding. In every patient, the diagnosis of surreptitious ingestion or noningestion was suspected on the basis of the coagulation profile pattern. Confirmation of the disorder by the spectrophotometric assay enable the clinician to choose the appropriate course of action with speed and purpose.