Patient was educated on osmotic laxatives as follows:
- Osmotic laxatives work on the principle of osmosis, a phenomenon of fluid migration from areas of less solute concentration to more solute concentration.
- Osmotic laxatives are highly concentrated, some with high sodium and magnesium salts. Some of these laxatives are highly concentrated with lactulose.
- These agents in the intestines, due to their high concentration, tend to osmotically draw water from surrounding tissues.
- By drawing more amount of water from the intestines, these osmotic laxatives prevent the stool from drying up and maintain the stool soft by increasing the fluid content in the stool. Soft stools are easier to pass.
- Some osmotic laxatives that are rich in magnesium salt, such as, magnesium hydroxide, are also used as antacids
- Examples of osmotic laxatives include Milk of Magnesia and Miralax.
