Generic Name: vasopressin

What is vasopressin?
Vasopressin is a man-made form of a hormone called "anti-diuretic hormone" that is normally secreted by the pituitary gland. In the body, vasopressin acts on the kidneys and blood vessels. Vasopressin helps prevent the loss of water from the body by reducing urine output and helping the kidneys reabsorb water in the body. Vasopressin also raises blood pressure by constricting (narrowing) blood vessels. Vasopressin is used to treat diabetes insipidus, which is caused by a lack of this naturally occurring pituitary hormone in the body. Vasopressin is also used to treat or prevent certain conditions of the stomach after surgery or during abdominal x-rays.

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What are the possible side effects of vasopressin?

Some people receiving vasopressin have had an immediate reaction to the medication. Tell your caregiver right away if you feel weak, nauseated, light-headed, sweaty, or have a fast heartbeat, chest tightness, or weak breathing just after receiving vasopressin.

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.

Tell your caregivers at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• slow or uneven heart rate;

• gasping or trouble breathing;

• chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;

• tingling or loss of feeling in your hands or feet;

• skin changes or discoloration;

• swelling, rapid weight gain;

• feeling light-headed, fainting; or

• severe nausea or stomach pain.

Less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:

• mild stomach pain, bloating, or gas;

• dizziness; or

• throbbing headache.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

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How is vasopressin given?
Vasopressin is given as an injection under the skin or into a muscle. You will receive this injection in a clinic or hospital setting. Vasopressin is usually given as needed every 3 to 4 hours. The time interval between doses will depend on how your body responds to the medication. To treat diabetes insipidus, vasopressin is sometimes given into the nose by nasal spray or medicine dropper, or insertion of a cotton pad that has been soaked in vasopressin. When used for abdominal x-ray, vasopressin injections are usually given at 2 hours before and 30 minutes before your x-ray. Your doctor may also recommend you receive an enema before you receive your first dose of vasopressin.

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What is the most important information I should know about vasopressin?
You should not receive this medication if you have a chronic kidney condition such as Bright's disease. Before receiving vasopressin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have asthma, kidney disease, congestive heart failure, hardened arteries, migraine headaches, or seizures. Some people receiving vasopressin have had an immediate reaction to the medication. Tell your caregiver right away if you feel weak, nauseated, light-headed, sweaty, or have a fast heartbeat, chest tightness, or weak breathing just after receiving vasopressin.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Since vasopressin is usually given as needed in a hospital setting, it is not likely that you will miss a dose.

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What other drugs will affect vasopressin?
Before receiving vasopressin, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs: carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol); chlorpropamide (Diabinese); clofibrate (Atromid-S); fludrocortisone (Florinef Acetate); demeclocycline (Declomycin); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); heparin (HepLock); a muscle relaxer; or an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), amoxapine (Ascendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), or trimipramine (Surmontil).

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

Vasopressin has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have not been reported. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Vasopressin is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.

There have been several reports in which vasopressin or desmopressin (DDAVP) was used safely to treat diabetes insipidus during human pregnancy. 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. In vivo and in vitro data have shown that vasopressin and other structurally related polypeptides increase the frequency and amplitude of uterine contractions.

There are no data on the excretion of vasopressin into human milk. Patients receiving vasopressin or other structurally related polypeptides have been reported to breast-feed without apparent adverse effects on the nursing infant. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering vasopressin to nursing women.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Chronic nephritis accompanied by nitrogen retention, until reasonable nitrogen concentrations are attained.
• History of anaphylaxis or other hypersensitivity to vasopressin of any component in the formulation.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have received too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a vasopressin overdose may include severe headache, drowsiness, weakness, pale skin, nausea, and stomach pain.

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What should I discuss with my health care provider before receiving vasopressin?
You should not receive this medication if you have a chronic kidney condition such as Bright's disease. Before receiving vasopressin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: asthma; kidney disease; congestive heart failure; coronary artery disease, hardening of the arteries; circulation problems; migraine headaches; or epilepsy or other seizure disorder. If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to receive vasopressin, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

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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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