arginine vasopressin (Argipressin, AVP)

Indications

• assessment of diabetes insipidus (DI)
  • nephrogenic vs. central DI
  • response of urine osmolality to water deprivation
    • close monitoring indicated
    • no change with nephrogenic or central DI
  • urine osmolality 60 minutes after 5 units of SC or IV arginine vasopressin
    • doubling of urine osmolality indicates central DI
    • a lack of response indicates nephrogenic DI
    • patients with primary polydipsia may show response similar to nephrogenic DI due to washout of the medullary concentration gradient

More general terms

• vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone, ADH)
• endocrine agent