HEMIN THERAPY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AFTER AN APPROPRIATE PERIOD OF ALTERNATE THERAPY I.E., 400 G GLUCOSE/DAY FOR 1 TO 2 DAYS. IF IMPROVEMENT IS UNSATISFACTORY FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE ATTACKS OF PORPHYRIA, AN IV INFUSION OF HEMIN IN A DOSE OF 1 TO 4 MG/KG/DAY SHOULD BE GIVEN OVER A PERIOD OF 10 TO 15 MINUTES FOR 3 TO 14 DAYS BASED ON THE CLINICAL SIGNS. IN MORE SEVERE CASES THIS DOSE MAY BE REPEATED NO EARLIER THAN EVERY 12 HOURS. NO MORE THAN 6 MG/KG OF HEMIN SHOULD BE GIVEN IN ANY 24 HOUR PERIOD.
CLINICAL BENEFIT FROM HEMIN DEPENDS ON PROMPT ADMINISTRATION. ATTACKS OF PORPHYRIA MAY PROGRESS TO A POINT WHERE IRREVERSIBLE NEURONAL DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED. PANHEMATIN THERAPY IS INTENDED TO PREVENT AN ATTACK FROM REACHING THE CRITICAL STAGE OF NEURONAL DEGENERATION. PANHEMATIN IS NOT EFFECTIVE IN REPAIRING NEURONAL DAMAGE.
IT IS INDICATED FOR THE AMELIORATION OF RECURRENT ATTACKS OF ACUTE INTERMITTENT PORPHYRIA TEMPORALLY RELATED TO THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE IN SUSCEPTIBLE WOMEN.