Lasolex

Lazolex (international name ‒ Ambroxol) is an injection solution that is used to treat newborns and premature babies in the event of respiratory distress syndrome.

What is this syndrome? It usually occurs due to breathing problems in infants and is formed during intrauterine development (at the prenatal and neonatal stages). Most often, distress syndrome occurs in premature babies who are born between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. Timely treatment using rational methods can minimize the risk of death. The main symptoms of the development of distress syndrome in newborns include: shortness of breath, pale skin, rigidity (increased resistance) of the chest, and cyanosis (blueness of the skin). Respiratory problems in the form of distress syndrome may not appear immediately, but some time after birth.

Lazolex is used as a mucolytic agent that acts on the respiratory system and has antitussive and expectorant properties.

Indications Lasolex

Lazolex is used exclusively for the treatment of premature and newborn babies with breathing problems (pulmonary distress syndrome). This drug is widely used in modern medical practice and has pronounced mucolytic properties. 1 ml of injection solution contains 7.5 mg of the active substance - ambroxol hydrochloride.

Indications for use of Lazolex: treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in newborns and premature babies.

The main property of the drug is to increase mucus secretion, as well as enhance the synthesis of lung surfactant and stimulate ciliary activity. This effect promotes the unimpeded separation of mucus accumulated in the respiratory tract and its rapid removal.

In addition, Lazolex has a number of other properties:

• has a pronounced anti-edematous effect;
• has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• reduces hypoxemia (decreased oxygen content in the blood);
• increases the natural protection of the lungs;
• strengthens local immunity;
• stops the process of exacerbation of chronic bronchitis;
• helps to increase the concentration of the antibacterial drug in the bronchial mucosa, thereby easing the course of the disease in pulmonary bacterial infections.

Release form

Lazolex as a mucolytic drug is an injection solution. It is a colorless or slightly yellow liquid of transparent consistency.

The drug is available in ampoules containing 2 ml of the drug in a package of 5 pcs. Each milliliter contains 7.5 mg of the main active ingredient - ambroxol hydrochloride. The auxiliary components are citric acid monohydrate (E 330), sodium chloride, sodium phosphate dodecahydrate (E 339), and water for injection.

The parenteral (injection) route of administration of Lazolex allows achieving several important goals: ensuring the rapid action of the drug, the accuracy of the dosage, and also avoiding the influence of digestive enzymes on the drug and eliminating the barrier function of the liver. In addition, the administration of the drug by infusion is indispensable in providing emergency care. This is especially important in cases of treating pulmonary distress syndrome in newborns and premature babies, for whom Lazolex injections become one of the ways to get rid of respiratory pathology and speed up the recovery process. It should be taken into account that the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature babies is carried out strictly in a maternity hospital.

Pharmacodynamics

Lazolex contains the main substance ambroxol, the action of which is aimed at increasing the secretion of mucus in the respiratory tract, as well as enhancing the synthesis of pulmonary surfactant - a surface-active substance that regulates the tension of the pulmonary alveoli when their volume changes. In addition, ambroxol helps stimulate ciliary (motor) activity. As a result of this action, the process of mucus secretion improves and its active removal from the respiratory tract is carried out. Thus, mucociliary clearance increases, which is a non-specific mechanism aimed at local protection of the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs from infection and various external influences. This is the pharmacodynamics of Lazolex. By activating fluid secretion and increasing mucociliary clearance, the process of mucus removal is facilitated, coughing is reduced. As a result of in vitro medical studies, it was possible to prove that the action of the drug Lazolex led to a decrease in the number of cytokinins (phytohormones), polymorphonuclear cells and mononuclear cells. The effective action of the drug allows achieving the desired results in the treatment of premature infants who have pulmonary distress syndrome.

Pharmacokinetics

Lazolex is used to treat respiratory pathology in premature babies who require emergency medical care due to respiratory failure almost immediately after birth.

The pharmacokinetics of Lazolex is that ambroxol, the main active substance of the drug, binds to plasma proteins (in infants - by 60-70%, in adult patients - by 90%). The drug has the ability to penetrate the placenta into the lungs of the fetus. Ambroxol accumulates in tissues, as indicated by the high volume of its distribution - from 6 to 7 l / kg. According to the results of studies, ambroxol is primarily metabolized in the liver, after which it breaks down, except for some metabolites, which are almost completely (up to 90%) excreted in the urine. It has been established that the half-life of the drug from blood plasma is approximately 9-10 hours. Also, medical studies have proven that after repeated administration of Lazolex to newborns, its half-life is approximately the same due to reduced clearance.

Treatment of premature babies with Lazolex should be carried out in a medical facility, i.e. in a maternity hospital, under the strict supervision of qualified doctors.

Dosing and administration

The instructions for the medicinal product Lazolex indicate the method of administration and dosage of the drug. The drug is used 4 times a day with a dosage of 30 mg per 1 kg of the child's weight. When administering the injection solution, it is necessary to follow certain rules, in particular, to administer it through an infusion pump very slowly, over 5 minutes. "Infusion pump" is a special device that is a kind of pump designed for the dosed administration of drugs and solutions during intensive therapy.

Lazolex solution can be used as a drip infusion. In this case, the drug is combined with a solution of glucose (5%), sodium chloride (0.9%), levulose (5%), or Ringer's solution (a multicomponent physiological solution). In order for the process of Lazolex administration to be carried out correctly, it is necessary to take into account the rules for working with the ampoule. First, it is necessary to separate the ampoule from the general package and, holding it by the neck, shake it slightly. Then you should carefully squeeze the ampoule with the medicine with your hand and separate the head using rotational movements. You need to insert a syringe into the resulting hole, then turn the ampoule over and slowly, slowly draw all the contents into the syringe.

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Use Lasolex during pregnancy

Lazolex in injection solution is intended only for the treatment of newborns who have respiratory pathologies. Many are interested in the question "Using Lazolex during pregnancy". In this regard, it is worth noting that ambroxol is used separately by pregnant women after the 28th week. At the same time, as a result of preclinical studies and clinical experience, no harmful effects from this drug were identified. At the same time, it is necessary to remember the responsibility in the use of drugs during pregnancy, especially in the first months after conception, when there is a high risk of miscarriage and the development of intrauterine pathologies. Ambroxol has the ability to penetrate into breast milk, but there is no data on its effect on the health of the fetus when taken in therapeutic doses.

As for the diagnosis of "respiratory distress", its confirmation requires clinical data, in particular, the study of thromboplastic activity and the composition of amniotic fluid. Most often, RDS is diagnosed in premature babies born before the 34th week, as well as children whose mothers suffer from diabetes. Among other factors that provoke the development of RDS, one can note multiple pregnancies, iso-serological incompatibility of the blood of the mother and fetus, bleeding due to placental abruption and presentation, asphyxia, morphofunctional immaturity of the fetus due to hereditary or congenital pathology.

Contraindications

Lazolex is used in cases of development of respiratory pathology in newborns, and most often in premature babies, which usually occurs in the neonatal period. The main causes of this problem are acquired or congenital diseases of the respiratory tract. In addition, respiratory distress syndrome can occur due to the lung parenchyma, intrauterine pathologies and various malformations of the lungs, brain or heart, asphyxia or anemia, metabolic disorders, as well as other factors that can cause tissue hypoxia or acute respiratory failure in a child.

In the instructions for the drug in the section "Contraindications for the use of Lazolex" it is noted that the only contraindication is hypersensitivity of the body to the active substance - ambroxol, or auxiliary components of this drug. Treatment with Lazolex is carried out under the supervision of doctors directly in the maternity hospital.

It should be noted that the development of respiratory failure in newborns is a consequence of surfactant deficiency and is observed immediately at the birth of premature babies or several hours after birth.

Side effects Lasolex

Lazolex may have some side effects and this must be taken into account when administering therapy to newborns.

Side effects of Lazolex may include nausea, mild heartburn, dyspepsia, vomiting and diarrhea (from the digestive system), as well as skin rashes and urticaria. There have been cases of angioedema, anaphylactic reactions (including anaphylactic shock) and other allergic reactions.

In extreme cases, when taking Lazolex, severe skin lesions are possible, in particular, the development of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (toxic-allergic disease) or Lyell's syndrome - epidermal toxic necrolysis. Such severe cases of Lazolex side effects can be explained by the use of concomitant drugs during treatment and the extremely severe condition of the patient, i.e. the severity of the underlying disease.

In case of damage to the mucous membrane or skin, it is necessary to urgently review the treatment regimen. Naturally, the use of Lazolex should be discontinued.

Overdose

Lazolex is administered to newborns in a hospital setting, so treatment is carried out in strict compliance with all norms and rules, according to the regimen prescribed by the attending physician.

There have been no cases of drug overdose. It should be noted that, regardless of the form of release of a particular drug, in case of overdose, symptomatic treatment is usually carried out. The measures associated with this are aimed at the fastest possible removal of the drug from the patient's body. In particular, the introduction of water-salt solutions, forced diuresis (detoxification method), and hemodialysis (extrarenal blood purification) are carried out.

To avoid an overdose of Lazolex, you need to follow the dosage prescribed by your doctor. The effect of any drug is determined by its dose, and violation of the dosing rules provokes the development of overdose symptoms. When taking medications, you need to take into account all factors: the characteristics of the patient's body, age, weight, sensitivity to the active substance of the drug, etc. As a result of a long-term overdose of the drug, chronic poisoning of the body is observed, in which the drug begins to act as a poison, disrupting the functioning of internal organs and tissues and damaging them.

Interactions with other drugs

Lazolex is prescribed as injections or infusions to treat respiratory pathologies in newborns. Most often, the drug is used to restore the respiratory functions of premature babies who experience difficulties with pulmonary surfactant deficiency almost immediately after birth.

Interactions of Lazolex with other drugs have some peculiarities. Thus, with the simultaneous use of Lazolex with ambroxol, an increase in the concentration of antibiotics in sputum and bronchopulmonary secretions, such as erythromycin, amoxicillin, cefuroxime, is observed. There is currently no accurate information on any undesirable interactions of Lazolex with drugs. The drug is administered to newborns strictly in a hospital (maternity hospital) setting, so its correct dosage is ensured taking into account the child's body weight, and complex treatment is carried out according to the scheme established by a qualified doctor. This also applies to other drugs that, in combination with Lazolex, give the desired therapeutic result - first of all, this is getting rid of problems associated with respiratory dysfunctions.

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Storage conditions

Lazolex is a modern drug from the group of mucolytics, which is widely used by neonatologists to treat premature babies, as well as newborns who need urgent help in the fight against respiratory pathologies, in particular, distress syndrome.

Lazolex, like any solution intended for injection, should be stored in the original (factory) packaging at a temperature not exceeding 25 °C. The solution should not be frozen or heated. The instructions for the drug also indicate that an important storage condition is a place inaccessible to children.

The storage conditions of Lazolex are similar to those of other sterile drugs in ampoules. Typically, the shelf life of such drugs reaches several years, but you should always pay attention to the expiration dates. Hermetically sealed ampoules ensure protection of the drug from the effects of oxygen and microflora. At the same time, it is unacceptable to leave drugs in a sunny place, since the composition of the drug can change under the influence of high temperatures. This must be taken into account when storing drugs.

Shelf life

The instructions for Lazolex clearly indicate the expiration date of this medicine - 2 years. It is necessary to take into account that after opening the ampoule, the medicine cannot be stored. Unused solution should be immediately disposed of, since opening the ampoule disrupts its sterility.

The obstacle to using the injection solution is a change in its color, turbidity, and the appearance of sediment. Before using any drug, you must read the instructions - the manufacturer's recommendations clearly indicate information about the storage conditions and shelf life of the drug. Usually, such information is on the packaging of the drug.