Desmopressin (Nasal Route, Oral Route, Injection Route)

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Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatrics-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of nasal desmopressin in children and infants. However, infants may be more sensitive to the effects of nasal desmopressin, which may require caution in patients receiving this medicine .

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatrics-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of oral desmopressin in infants and children with diabetes insipidus. However, safety and efficacy have not been established in children below 6 years of age with bed-wetting problems .

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of desmopressin injection in infants below 3 months of age for the treatment of hemophilia A or Von Willebrand's disease, and in children below 12 years of age with diabetes insipidus. Safety and efficacy have not been established in these age groups .

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatrics-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of desmopressin in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require an adjustment of dosage in patients receiving desmopressin .

Pregnancy

Breastfeeding

Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Blood clots—Use with caution. Desmopressin injection may worsen this condition .

• Cystic fibrosis or
• Dehydration or
• Fluid or electrolyte imbalance or
• Heart failure—Loss of sodium from the blood and serious side effects may be more likely to occur in patients with these conditions .

• Headache, severe, or migraine or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• High blood pressure—Large doses of desmopressin can cause an increase or decrease in blood pressure.

• Hyponatremia, or history of or
• Kidney problems—Desmopressin should NOT be used in patients with these conditions .

• Stuffy nose caused by cold or allergy—May prevent nasal desmopressin from being absorbed through the lining of the nose into the blood stream.

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