DDAVP is the manufactured form of the ADH hormone which you might take if you have central diabetes insipidus. If you have this disorder, not having enough ADH will make you very thirsty and you can crave ice water. Your craving may even seem to be uncontrollable. With the mild form of central diabetes insipidus, you may not have to take DDAVP. Whether or not you take this medication, you need to drink enough fluids.
Central Diabetes Insipidus
Central diabetes insipidus is a medical disorder that develops if you do not have enough of the antidiuretic hormone, or ADH. This hormone is made in the hypothalamus area of the brain, but is stored and released by the posterior pituitary gland, as described in the "Handbook of Pathophysiology" by Elizabeth Corwin, Ph.D. of the Department of Physiology at Pennsylvania State University. If you have a problem where the hypothalamus cannot make enough ADH or the posterior pituitary does not release enough ADH, you can develop this condition. This can happen as a result of a head injury, blood vessel abnormalities, tumors or infections.
ADH and DDAVP
ADH tells the kidneys to increase their reabsorption of water. This results in more water going into the bloodstream rather than into the production of urine. The posterior pituitary primarily releases ADH when the concentration of substances in the bloodstream is too high. When the kidneys reabsorb more water, the concentration in the bloodstream decreases. In central diabetes insipidus without enough ADH, you will be extremely thirsty, will need to urinate a lot, and the urine will be very diluted. DDAVP, or desmopressin, is the synthetic form of ADH and the standard treatment for this disorder, per Ian Chapman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Adelaide in "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals."
How Much Water to Drink
If you have a mild form of this disorder, your physician may advise you to drink approximately 2 to 2.5 liters of water every day to make sure that you are getting enough fluids. If you do need to take DDAVP, it can be taken as an injection, in pill form, or nasal spray. Because it works just like ADH, when you take this medication you will urinate much less. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should only drink fluids when you are thirsty because the medication is preventing your kidneys from making too much urine.
Side Effects of DDAVP
Many people who use DDAVP get headaches, a fast heartbeat, a tingling feeling and a flushed face. Taking this medication and drinking too much fluids can put you at risk for developing a very low level of sodium in your bloodstream; this is especially the case in the very young and in the elderly, a potentially serious problem because it can lead to seizures. A small number of people develop blood clots in their arteries. This is why those with coronary artery disease are advised not to take DDAVP, per Jill Johnsen, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington in "Williams Hematology."
References
- "Greenspan's Basic & Clinical Endocrinology"; David Gardner, M.D., Dolores Shoback, M.D.; 2007
- "Handbook of Pathophysiology"; Elizabeth Corwin, MSN, Ph.D., FNP; 2000
- Mayo Clinic: Diabetes Insipidus
- "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals"; Central Diabetes Insipidus; I. Chapman, Ph.D.; 2007
- "The Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics"; Gopa Green, M.D., Ian Harris, M.D. et al.; 2004
- "Williams Hematology"; Marshall Lichtman, M.D., Thomas Kipps, M.D. et al.; 2010
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