Name
LACTULOSE ABC 66.7 g / 100 ml syrup
Liquid Lactulose


What it is and what it is used for
Lactulose ABC contains the active substance lactulose, a sugar that belongs to a group of medicines called laxatives, used to facilitate intestinal evacuation.
This medicine is indicated for the short-term treatment of occasional constipation.
Contact your doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 7 days.


What you need to know before taking the medicine
Do not use Lactulose ABC
- if you are allergic to lactulose or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6);
- if you have abdominal pain of unknown origin, nausea, vomiting;
- if you have a blockage or narrowing (stenosis) of the intestine;
- if you have blood loss from the rectum of unknown origin (rectal bleeding);
- if you are severely dehydrated;
- if you have or are at risk of perforations of the digestive tract


Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Lactulose ABC.
- Consult your doctor before taking this medicine if you suffer from abdominal pain of unknown origin.
If you do not notice any improvement after a few days of treatment (2-3 days), consult your doctor.
Frequent or prolonged use or excessive doses of laxatives can cause persistent diarrhoea with consequent loss of water, mineral salts (especially potassium) and other essential nutrients for the body. In more serious cases, dehydration (excessive loss of water from the body) or hypokalaemia (decrease in potassium in the blood) may occur, which can cause problems with the heart, nerves and muscles (cardiac or neuromuscular dysfunction), especially in case of concomitant use of medicines used to treat heart problems (cardiac glycosides), medicines used to lower blood pressure (diuretics) and cortisone-based anti-inflammatories.
Laxative abuse can cause dependence (possible need to gradually increase the dosage), chronic constipation and intestinal atony (loss of normal intestinal functions).

Health education notes :
First of all, it should be noted that, in most cases, a balanced diet rich in water and fiber (bran, vegetables and fruit) can solve the problem of constipation. Many people think they suffer from constipation if they are unable to evacuate every day. This is a mistaken belief since this situation is completely normal for a large number of people.
Consider, instead, that constipation occurs when evacuations are reduced compared to one's personal habits and are associated with the emission of hard stools. If episodes of constipation occur repeatedly, a doctor should be consulted.
Treatment of chronic or recurrent constipation always requires the intervention of a doctor for diagnosis, prescription of drugs and monitoring during therapy.


Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Occasionally: isolated cramping pain or abdominal colic, more frequent in cases of severe constipation and flatulence during the first few days of treatment which normally disappears after a few days.
Since the following reactions have been reported through spontaneous reports from a population of unknown size, it is not possible to estimate their frequency.
Flatulence (wind), abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting; diarrhea (mostly following excessive dosages).
Electrolyte imbalance (alteration of the amount of salts in the blood) due to diarrhea. Allergic reactions, skin rash, itching, hives.
Following the instructions in the package leaflet reduces the risk of side effects.

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system at: https://www.aifa.gov.it/content/segnalazionireazioni-avverse .
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.