Apholac

What Apholac (Lactulose) is used for

Lactulose is a laxative, a medicine that helps you pass stools (poo). It is a man-made sugar that comes as a sweet syrup or liquid to swallow. Very little of it is absorbed into the body. Instead, it is broken down in the bowel into substances that draw water in, which softens the stools and makes them easier to pass. This type is called an osmotic laxative. In people with severe liver disease, it also helps remove toxins such as ammonia from the blood through the bowel. It can be bought from pharmacies and is also prescribed by doctors.

• Constipation (passing stools less often, or stools that are hard and dry)
• Constipation after surgery, as it is gentler on the gut than some other laxatives
• Hepatic encephalopathy: confusion, shaking, sleepiness or coma caused by severe liver disease, where it helps clear toxins that build up when the liver is failing. This use is under a doctor's care.

Side effects, warnings and interactions for Lactulose

Prepared from the sources listed by the MedInfoBase team. General information, not medical advice: it gives no doses. Your doctor or pharmacist decides the medicine and dose for you.