LACTULOSE PENSA*OS 180ML66.7%

LATTULOSIO PENSA 66.7g/100 ml syrup
Lactulose

Equivalent Medicine

What it is and what it is used for
LATTULOSIO PENSA contains lactulose, a laxative, used to facilitate bowel movements.
LATTULOSIO PENSA is indicated for adults and children for the short-term treatment of occasional constipation.

Consult your doctor if you and/or your child do not feel better or if you feel worse after 7 days.

What you need to know before taking the medicine
Do not use LATTULOSIO PENSA if:
- you are allergic to lactulose or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6);
- you have abdominal pain, even of unknown origin;
- you have episodes of nausea or vomiting;
- you have an obstruction or narrowing of the intestine (intestinal stenosis);
- you have rectal bleeding (last part of the intestine) of unknown origin;
- you suffer from severe dehydration (excessive loss of water from the body).

Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using LATTULOSIO PENSA.

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 permanently solve the problem of constipation.
Many people think they suffer from constipation if they don't have a bowel movement every day.
This is a mistaken belief, as this situation is completely normal for a large number of individuals.
Instead, constipation occurs when bowel movements 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.
The treatment of chronic or recurrent constipation always requires the intervention of a doctor for diagnosis, prescription of drugs and monitoring during therapy.
Before taking LATTULOSIO PENSA, inform your doctor if you suffer from flatulence (excessive gas in the intestine). In this case, at the beginning of treatment, the minimum effective dose should be taken, and the doctor may then increase the dose according to your response to therapy.
The therapy must be carried out under the supervision of a doctor who will determine the most suitable dose for you.
Consult your doctor:
- if you are elderly or not in good health;
- when the need for a laxative arises from a sudden change in previous bowel habits (frequency and characteristics of bowel movements) that has lasted for more than two weeks or when the use of a laxative fails to produce effects.

Laxative abuse
Frequent or prolonged use or excessive doses of laxatives can cause persistent diarrhea with consequent loss of water, mineral salts (especially potassium) and other essential nutrients.
In more severe cases, dehydration (excessive loss of water from the body) or hypokalemia (decrease in potassium in the blood) may occur, which can cause cardiac or neuromuscular disorders, especially if you are also taking medicines such as cardiac glycosides (medicines used to treat heart problems), diuretics (medicines that lower blood pressure) or corticosteroids (anti-inflammatories).
In more severe cases, dehydration (excessive loss of water from the body) or hypokalemia (decrease in potassium in the blood) may occur. Laxative abuse can cause dependence (possible need to progressively increase the dosage), chronic constipation and intestinal atony (loss of normal intestinal functions).

Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people): - Abdominal pain; flatulence (excessive gas production in the intestine).

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
- Abdominal distension; urgency to defecate; diarrhea, nausea; reduced appetite; headache.

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
- Vomiting.

Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
- Loss of electrolytes (salts in the blood).

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, including any not listed in this leaflet, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. 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.