vasopressin Injection

vay-soe-PRES-in

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Pitressin

Available Dosage Forms:

• Solution

Therapeutic Class: Endocrine-Metabolic Agent

Pharmacologic Class: Vasopressin (class)

Uses For vasopressin

Vasopressin is a hormone that is produced by your body. It is necessary to maintain good health. If you do not have enough vasopressin, your body will lose too much water.

Vasopressin is used to control the frequent urination, increased thirst, and loss of water associated with diabetes insipidus (water diabetes).

vasopressin is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before Using vasopressin

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 vasopressin, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to vasopressin 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

Children may be especially sensitive to the effects of vasopressin. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment.

Geriatric

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. Although there is no specific information comparing the use of vasopressin in the elderly with use in other age groups, the elderly may be more sensitive to its effects.

Pregnancy

	Pregnancy Category	Explanation
All Trimesters	C	Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

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. When you are receiving vasopressin, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using vasopressin with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Bepridil


• Cisapride


• Levomethadyl


• Mesoridazine


• Pimozide


• Terfenadine


• Thioridazine


• Ziprasidone

Using vasopressin with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Acecainide


• Ajmaline


• Amiodarone


• Amisulpride


• Amitriptyline


• Amoxapine


• Aprindine


• Arsenic Trioxide


• Astemizole


• Azimilide


• Bretylium


• Chloral Hydrate


• Chloroquine


• Chlorpromazine


• Clarithromycin


• Clomipramine


• Desipramine


• Dibenzepin


• Disopyramide


• Dofetilide


• Dothiepin


• Doxepin


• Droperidol


• Encainide


• Enflurane


• Erythromycin


• Flecainide


• Fluconazole


• Fluoxetine


• Foscarnet


• Gemifloxacin


• Halofantrine


• Haloperidol


• Halothane


• Hydroquinidine


• Ibutilide


• Imipramine


• Isoflurane


• Isradipine


• Lidoflazine


• Lorcainide


• Mefloquine


• Nortriptyline


• Octreotide


• Pentamidine


• Pirmenol


• Prajmaline


• Probucol


• Procainamide


• Prochlorperazine


• Propafenone


• Protriptyline


• Quetiapine


• Quinidine


• Risperidone


• Sematilide


• Sertindole


• Sotalol


• Spiramycin


• Sulfamethoxazole


• Sultopride


• Tedisamil


• Telithromycin


• Trifluoperazine


• Trimethoprim


• Trimipramine


• Venlafaxine


• Zolmitriptan


• Zotepine

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

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 vasopressin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Asthma or


• Epilepsy or


• Heart disease or


• Kidney disease or


• Migraine headaches—If fluid retention (keeping more body water) caused by vasopressin occurs too fast, these conditions may be worsened.

• Heart or blood vessel disease—Vasopressin can cause chest pain or a heart attack; it can also increase blood pressure.

Proper Use of vasopressin

Use vasopressin only as directed. Do not use more of it and do not use it more often than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.

Dosing

The dose of vasopressin will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of vasopressin. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For injection dosage form:
  
  • For controlling water loss when urinating too often (diabetes insipidus):
    
    • Adults and teenagers—5 to 10 Units injected into a muscle or under the skin two or three times a day as needed.
    
    
    • Children—2.5 to 10 Units injected into a muscle or under the skin three or four times a day.
    
    
  
  

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of vasopressin, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

vasopressin Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Rare

• Chest pain


• coma


• confusion


• convulsions (seizures)


• drowsiness


• fever


• headache that continues


• problems with urination


• redness of skin


• skin rash, hives, or itching


• swelling of face, feet, hands, or mouth


• weight gain


• wheezing or trouble with breathing

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

• Abdominal or stomach cramps


• belching


• diarrhea


• dizziness or lightheadedness


• increased sweating


• increased urge for a bowel movement


• nausea or vomiting


• pale skin


• passage of gas


• "pounding'' in head


• trembling


• white-colored area around the mouth

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: vasopressin Injection side effects (in more detail)

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More vasopressin Injection resources

• Vasopressin Injection Side Effects (in more detail)
• Vasopressin Injection Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
• Vasopressin Injection Drug Interactions
• Vasopressin Injection Support Group
• 0 Reviews for Vasopressin Injection - Add your own review/rating

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