vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone, ADH)

Function

• maintains serum osmolality by increasing passive resorption of water by the distal renal tubules
  • enables urine osmolality to reach 800-1200 mosm/kg
  • without ADH, urine osmolality reaches only 60-60 mosm/kg
• causes vasoconstriction of the capillaries & small arterioles
• release of ADH from the hypothalamus is stimulated by:
  • plasma osmolality > 280 mosm/kg
    • plasma ADH levels zero for osmolality < 280 mosm/kg
    • plasma ADH levels linearly related to osmolality for values > 280 mosm/kg
    • the organum vasculosum lamina terminalis is a chemo- receptor zone in the brain that senses osmolality
  • hypotension
  • decrease in plasma volume (7-10%)

Pathology

• pituitary adenoma secreting ADH (vasopressin)
• vasopressin deficiency is diabetes insipidus

Pharmacology

see Pitressin

More general terms

• neurotransmitter
• posterior pituitary hormone
• neuropeptide
• endocrine agent
• gastrointestinal agent

More specific terms

• arginine vasopressin (Argipressin, AVP)
• desmopressin (deamino-arginine vasopressin, dDAVP, dDVP, Noctiva, Stimate, Minirin)
• felypressin (phenylalanine/lysine vasopressin)
• isoleucyl vasopressin or vasotocin
• lypressin (lysine vasopressin, Diapid)
• ornipressin (ornithine vasopressin)
• oxytocin (isoleucyl/leucyl vasopressin)
• Pitressin (vasopressin, antidiuretic hormone, ADH)

Additional terms

• copeptin
• drugs that increase vasopressin or enhance its action
• organum vasculosum lamina terminalis (OVLT)
• prepro-vasopressin; vasopressin-neurophysin 2 copeptin (AVP)
• vasopressin receptor antagonist (vaptan)
• vasopressin receptor or antidiuretic hormone [ADH] receptor