• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
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What is desmopressin nasal?
Desmopressin is a man-made form of a hormone that occurs naturally in the pituitary gland. This hormone is important for many functions including blood flow, blood pressure, kidney function, and regulating how the body uses water. Desmopressin nasal is used to treat central cranial diabetes insipidus, and increased thirst and urination caused by head surgery or head trauma. Desmopressin nasal is also used to treat hemophilia A or von Willebrand's disease Type I. Desmopressin nasal may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What are the possible side effects of desmopressin nasal?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using desmopressin nasal and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• nausea, vomiting, weakness, loss of appetite, headache, feeling restless or irritable, confusion, hallucinations, muscle pain or weakness, and/or seizure;

• feeling like you might pass out;

• swelling;

• chest pain, fast or pounding heart rate;

• vaginal pain;

• nosebleed; or

• dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Less serious side effects may include:

• runny or stuffy nose;

• sore throat, cough, or other cold symptoms;

• eye redness or watering;

• eye itching or increased sensitivity to light;

• headache, weakness;

• feeling dizzy or agitated;

• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;

• hot or cold feeling; or

• warmth, redness, or tingly feeling in your face.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I use desmopressin nasal?
Use this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label. This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. It is very important to reduce your intake of water and other fluids while you are using desmopressin. Drinking too much water can cause your body to lose sodium, which may lead to a serious, life-threatening electrolyte imbalance.

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What is the most important information I should know about desmopressin nasal?
It is very important to reduce your intake of water and other fluids while you are using desmopressin. Drinking too much water can cause your body to lose sodium, which may lead to a serious, life-threatening electrolyte imbalance. Fluid restriction is especially important in children and older adults using desmopressin nasal. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. You should not use this medication if you have severe kidney disease or if you have ever had hyponatremia (low sodium levels in your body).

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to use the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect desmopressin nasal?
Many drugs can interact with desmopressin nasal. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using: carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol); chlorpromazine (Thorazine); lamotrigine (Lamictal); oxybutynin (Ditropan, Urotrol, Oxytrol); vasopressin (Pitressin); a narcotic pain medicine such as fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), oxycodone (Oxycontin), and others; an "SSRI" antidepressant such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), or sertraline (Zoloft);

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Desmopressin (DDAVP) has been assigned to pregnancy category B by the FDA. Animal data have failed to reveal evidence of fetotoxicity or teratogenicity. There have been many reports of the safe use of DDAVP to treat diabetes insipidus (DI) in pregnant women, but there have also been rare cases in which the drug was possibly related to neonatal defects. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Desmopressin is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.

In general, desmopressin (DDAVP) appears to be an effective, nonteratogenic drug for the treatment of diabetes insipidus (DI) during pregnancy. Unlike structurally related vasopressin, DDAVP does not appear to increase the frequency or amplitude of uterine contractions. Three cases, in which DDAVP (to treat DI) was possibly associated with neonatal abnormalities, have been reported. The abnormalities included coarctation of the aorta, patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonary stenosis (case 1), trisomy 21, kyphoscoliosis, lordosis, clubfeet, endocardial cushion defect (case 2), failure to thrive, hypotonia, small stature, and retarded gross motor development (case 3). As the three infants presented with widely differing clinical appearance, it is difficult to implicate DDAVP as the causative agent in these cases. There have been many reports in which vasopressin or DDAVP was used safely to treat DI during human pregnancy. A recent Swedish study retrospectively reviewed the records of 29 infants whose mothers had received DDAVP during pregnancy for DI. Pregnancy duration and birth weight distributions were normal. Pregnancy outcome was normal except for possible intrauterine growth disturbances in three infants. One infant was born with a simian lines and a ventricular septum defect with a patent ductus arteriosus. This child died at age 14 years from a hypophyseal disease. The observation of one malformed infant among 29 born yields a risk of 3.4%, which was below the population risk of 4.5%. The statistical power of this study is low, but it is the largest published study to date. The authors concluded that maternal DI and treatment with DDAVP during pregnancy does not constitute a major risk. There appears to be a decrease in the plasma concentration of vasopressin during the first and second trimesters, and a 3-fold increase in the plasma concentration of vasopressin in the last trimester and during labor.

Desmopressin is excreted into human milk in low concentrations. There have been no reports of adverse effects of desmopressin in nursing infants. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering desmopressin to nursing women.

The breast milk concentration of DDAVP in one woman who had received 10 mcg of DDAVP BID was less than 1 ng/L 3 days after the last dose. The associated maternal plasma level was approximately 1 ng/L. When given a single 10 mcg dose, the maximum maternal plasma concentration at 40 minutes was 7 ng/L. The breast milk concentration of desmopressin remained less than 1.5 ng/L for 240 minutes when her plasma was assayed. Patients receiving vasopressin or other structurally related polypeptides have breast-fed without apparent adverse effects on nursing infants. The manufacturer recommends caution when desmopressin is administered to a nursing woman.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Known hypersensitivity to desmopressin acetate or any ingredient in the formulation.
• Moderate to severe renal impairment (Cl_cr <50 mL/minute).
• Hyponatremia or a history of hyponatremia.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include headache, confusion, drowsiness, rapid weight gain, or urination problems.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using desmopressin nasal?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to desmopressin, or if you have: severe kidney disease; or if you have ever had hyponatremia (low sodium levels in your body). Before using desmopressin nasal, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any medications, or if you have: heart disease, coronary artery disease; congestive heart failure; kidney disease; cystic fibrosis; high or low blood pressure; an electrolyte imbalance; or a psychologic disorder that causes extreme or unusual thirst.

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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