Truth Behind Depakote

Generic Drugs

DDAVP nasal spray or by it's generic name, Desmopressin Acetate, is a medication with a variety of uses. DDAVP is a synthetic form of the natural hormone arginine vasopressin which is important in the regulation of blood and blood pressure, stomach and intestinal movements, as well as the proper functions of the uterus and kidneys. It has been used to control bed wetting in children, loss of excessive water in individuals suffering from diabetes insipidus, and to control excessive thirst and urination in patients with brain injuries. It has also been marketed under the name, Stimate, as a blood clotting agent for certain types of hemophiliacs.

What are the uses of DDAVP nasal spray?

DDAVP nasal spray has been used effectively as a treatment for Diabetes Insipidus and your doctor can prescribe the appropriate dosage for you after a bit of testing to discern just how much of the medication your body requires and how responsive your body is to the treatment. Your physician will likely make several adjustments to your dosage before fully achieving the desired result because each person will respond differently to treatment.

DDAVP nasal spray is generally prescribed for children over the age of six years who are having trouble with bed wetting or enuresis. Again, the exact dosage will require trial and error to achieve the desired result with responsiveness to treatment being recorded and measured by the number of nights the patient is able to sleep without incident or by how many times a night the individual must wake to use the restroom. For those needing just a little help, the spray will be sufficient. Those with a more severe problem will require more medication and thus the doctor will most likely resort to prescribing the nasal drops.

The use of DDAVP nasal spray, marketed as Stimate, is also indicated in the case of hemophiliacs as a blood clotting agent. Again the dosage will be controlled by your physician and your own bodies responsiveness to the medication.

Is it safe for me?

While DDAVP is safe for most people, some individuals may need to exercise caution. As with any drug, if you have an allergy to this medication or any of its component parts, do not take this medicine. If you suffer from high blood pressure or coronary disease, be very cautious in the use of this medication as it may cause extreme spikes or drops in the blood pressure, creating an unsafe condition. Conditions involving fluid and electrolyte imbalances, such as Cystic Fibrosis, can create special dangers for the individual taking DDAVP so make sure your doctor knows if you have these conditions before beginning DDAVP therapy DDAVP may also have drug interactions with your other medications so be sure your doctor knows every medication you are taking. Drugs that raise the blood pressure pose a particular danger for interaction with DDAVP as do the drugs, Clofibrate, Glyburide and Epinephrine.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, make sure your doctor knows this before taking DDAVP. While there is no clinical proof to establish a link between DDAVP and birth defects, it is still recommended that pregnant women do not take the drug unless there are no other options. There is also no evidence that the drug is passed thru breast milk but your doctor should be consulted prior to taking the medication while breast-feeding.

It is also to be noted that water toxicity, though rare, has been known to occur in children and elderly while using DDAVP nasal spray. Water toxicity is a dangerous condition where too much water is in the system which negates the available sodium in the blood causing the victim to go into a seizure. To avoid this complication, limit fluid intake to just what is needed to quench thirst.

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