The active component of the drug "Lazolvan" is Ambroxol hydrochloride - a substance with an expectorant effect. Taking this drug enhances the separation of mucus in the bronchi and trachea and improves its excretion. The inflammation in the airways weakens, the cough becomes wet and causes less discomfort to the patient.
The use of the mucolytic drug "Lazolvan" is indicated for bronchitis, bronchial asthma (if sputum discharge is difficult), pneumonia. In case of bronchiectasis, when a chronic suppurative process proceeds in the changed bronchi, and in case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, when the air flow in the airways is partially limited, “Lazolvan”, as well as other drugs containing ambroxol, is one of the main medicines . It liquefies the bronchial secretion and activates the motor activity of the cilia - outgrowths of the epithelium, covering the inside of the bronchi. Cilia make oscillatory movements, helping to cleanse the bronchi from dust, which is thus excreted along with mucus. In patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, their function is reduced, so Ambroxol or Lazolvan (tablets, injections or syrup) is irreplaceable in this disease.
Ambroxol-based drugs are also used to treat newborns who have been diagnosed with the so-called respiratory distress syndrome, a severe respiratory distress that develops more often in children who have a Caesarean section or are premature. This is due to the fact that normally the alveoli of the lungs of a healthy person are covered with a special active substance - a surfactant that prevents their subsidence. In premature babies, it is not enough. Therefore, drugs based on ambroxol, which stimulate the formation of surfactant, are widely used in this category of patients not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome.
The drug "Lazolvan" is available in various dosage forms. In severe diseases of the respiratory system, Lazolvan injection solution is more often used. Tablets are prescribed for adults as well as children over twelve years of age. An adult daily dose is 90 mg of Ambroxol (3 tablets) at the onset of the disease, and 60 mg on the following days. The drug "Lazolvan" (tablets), the instructions for use of which contain all the necessary information about its action, can also be prescribed for children from six to twelve years old - 15 mg (half tablet), 2-3 times a day. There are also capsules of the same name - "Lazolvan Retard". They act for a longer time than the tablet form of the drug "Lazolvan." Tablets should be taken twice or thrice a day, while capsules containing 75 mg of ambroxol are taken once a day.
Syrup "Lazolvan", 5 mg of which contains 15 ml of ambroxol, is prescribed for children older than one year - twice a day (after two years - three times a day), half a teaspoon. A six-year-old child can already be given a teaspoon of the drug, and a twelve-year-old child can take two. There is also Lazolvan syrup for adults: its 5 ml contains 30 mg of ambroxol. It can also be taken by children, starting from the age of six - based on the daily dose necessary to treat the disease.
As for contraindications for taking this remedy and side effects, they are clearly described by the instructions attached to the drug "Lazolvan". Tablets are not recommended for children under six years of age - they should be replaced with syrup. Individual sensitivity to the drug is sometimes noted: it is manifested by allergic reactions (itching and rashes), headaches, and nausea. Pregnant women may be prescribed Lazolvan, but only in the second and third trimesters. As for the lactation period, it has been established that this drug passes into breast milk, but there is currently no information on its negative effect on the fetus.
Taking "Lazolvan" - tablets, syrup or capsules, you should strictly follow all the doctor's prescriptions, remembering the danger of an overdose. Its first symptoms are nausea and vomiting, diarrhea. In this case, the drug is stopped and consult a doctor without fail.