Patient leaflet - Ddavp 4 micrograms/ml injection
1. What DDAVP Injection is and what it is used for
DDAVP Injection is a clear, colourless solution. It contains Desmopressin acetate, an antidiuretic (reduces urine production).
It is used:
to diagnose and treat cranial diabetes insipidus
(a condition which causes extreme thirst and the continuous production of large volumes of dilute urine). IMPORTANT: This should not be confused with diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes)
as a test to check if the kidneys are functioning
properly (renal function test).
during surgery or following trauma in patients with
mild to moderate haemophilia (blood condition) or von Willebrand’s disease (blood clotting condition) to increase blood clotting factors (Note: DDAVP Injection is not suitable for every patient or for the treatment of all types of haemophilia or von Willebrand’s disease).
to treat headache prior to or resulting from a lumbar
puncture (a procedure to obtain a sample of fluid from the spine for laboratory examination in the investigation of disorders of the nervous system)
to test for fibrinolytic response (a test to measure
the capacity of the body to dissolve blood clots once they have formed)
2. What you need to know before you use DDAVP Injection
Do not use DDAVP Injection
if you are allergic to desmopressin acetate or any of
the ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
- if you drink unusually large amounts of fluids
if you suffer from heart problems or other conditions
requiring treatment with diuretics (water tablets)
- if you have low blood sodium levels (hyponatremia)
if you suffer from syndrome of inappropriate
antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)
if you suffer from a more severe form of chest pain
(unstable angina)
if you suffer from von Willebrand’s disease type IIb
and you are given this medicine for bleeding control
Warnings and Precautions
Talk to your doctor before taking DDAVP Injection.
Be extra careful with the use of DDAVP Injection:
in children, elderly patients and patients with blood
sodium levels in the lower normal range, as the risk of hyponatraemia (low blood sodium levels) may be increased
if you suffer from a condition that causes a fluid and/
or salt imbalance e.g. vomiting, diarrhoea, infections or fever
if you at risk of increased intracranial pressure
(pressure inside the skull)
- if you have moderate to severe kidney dysfunction
if you need to be treated for bleeding several times
within two days. The effect of DDAVP Injection may then decrease.
if you suffer from cardiovascular disease such as
blood clots, arteriosclerosis or if you have had angioplasty (artery-opening procedure).
if you have bladder dysfunction and problems in
passing urine.
While using DDAVP Injection, your fluid intake must be limited. In this way, you will prevent fluid overload in your body and a lack of sodium in your blood.
Fluid retention (build-up of water in the body) and/ or hyponatraemia (low blood sodium levels), with or without accompanying warning signs or symptoms, may occur during treatment with desmopressin (see section 4 “Possible side effects”). Contact your doctor
if you notice these warning signs or symptoms; your doctor may check your weight and sodium levels.
When using DDAVP Injection as a diagnostic agent, fluid intake to quench your thirst must be limited to a maximum of 0.5 litres from 1 hour before to 8 hours after administration.
DDAVP Injection does not reduce the prolonged bleeding time in thrombocytopenia (platelet deficiency).
Other medicines and DDAVP Injection
Tell your doctor if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
DDAVP Injection may have a stronger effect if you are already taking other medications that also affect the fluid and/or salt balance in your body. As a result, your body is more likely to retain too much fluid and your blood sodium levels might decrease.
Examples include:
- medicines to treat very severe pain: opioids
- medicines to treat depression: tricyclic or SSRI antidepressants
medicines to treat pain and/or inflammation:
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as indomethacin, ibuprofen
- chlorpromazine (for the treatment of psychosis or schizophrenia)
- carbamazepine (for the treatment of epilepsy)
- drugs to treat diabetes: sulphonylurea derivatives, such as chlorpropamide
DDAVP Injection with food or drinks:
- you should avoid drinking large amount of fluid while you are being treated with DDAVP Injection as this could lead to build up of water which dilutes the salt in the body. This is a serious problem and may lead to convulsions.
- You should only drink enough fluid to satisfy your thirst.
when used for diagnostic purpose (fibrinolytic response, kidney function, or cranial diabetes insipidus), limit fluid intake to no more than 500 ml, from 1 hour before until 8 hours after the dose
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility
If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, please inform your doctor before you use DDAVP Injection as blood pressure monitoring is recommended due to the increased risk of pre-eclampsia (a condition in pregnant women that can cause serious complications).
Symptoms of pre-eclampsia include high blood pressure, oedema (swelling due to the build up of fluid) and proteinuria (protein in the urine).
Breast-feeding:
If you are breast-feeding ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before using DDAVP Injection.
DDAVP Injection contains Sodium
This medicine contains 3.5 mg sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) in each ampoule. This is equivalent to 0.2% of the recommended maximum daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult.
3. How DDAVP Injection will be given
Depending on the condition that you are being treated for, the doctor will administer the appropriate dose by injection either just under the skin (subcutaneous), into a muscle (intramuscular) or directly into one of your veins (intravenous).
Diagnosis of diabetes insipidus:
The usual dose for adults and children is 2 micrograms given by injection either just under the skin (subcutaneous) or into a muscle (intramuscular).
Treatment of diabetes insipidus:
By injection either just under the skin (subcutaneous), into a muscle (intramuscular) or directly into one of your veins (intravenous).
Adults: The usual dose is 1 to 4 micrograms daily Children and infants: Doses from 0.4 micrograms may be used.
Renal function test:
A single dose of 2 micrograms is given to adults and children by injection either just under the skin (subcutaneous) or into a muscle (intramuscular).
During surgery or following trauma in patients with mild to moderate haemophilia and von Willebrand’s disease to increase blood clotting factors:
The dose for adults, children and infants is 0.4 micrograms per kilogram body weight, administered by intravenous infusion (by drip) over a period of 20 minutes. This dose should be given before surgery or following trauma. Further doses may be administered at 12 hourly intervals.
1.3.2 Mock up PIL Pg. 1
To treat headache prior to or resulting from a lumbar puncture:
The dose for adults is 4 micrograms by injection either just under the skin (subcutaneous) or into a muscle (intramuscular). This dose can be given prior to lumbar puncture to prevent headache or after lumbar puncture when headache occurs. This dose may be repeated 24 hours later.
Fibrinolytic response test:
The dose for adults and children is 0.4 micrograms per kilogram body weight, administered by injection directly into one of your veins (intravenous) over a period of 20 minutes.
If you are given more DDAVP Injection than you should:
As this medicine will be given to you whilst you are in hospital it is unlikely that you will be given too much, however, avoid drinking any more fluid and seek medical advice if you have any concerns.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you get any of the following side effects:
The most important, severe side effect for DDAVP Injection is hyponatraemia (low blood sodium levels). Hyponatraemia can cause headache, nausea, vomiting, weight gain, malaise (feeling unwell), abdominal pain (stomach ache), muscle cramps, dizziness, confusion, impaired consciousness, generalised oedema (fluid accumulation in the body’s tissue) and, in severe cases, cerebral oedema (swelling of the brain), hyponatraemic encephalopathy (brain dysfunction due to fluid overload and sodium deficiency), convulsions (seizures) and coma. Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000). Cases of severe hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactic shock and anaphylactic reaction (allergic shock and acute hypersensitivity reaction) have been reported in association with DDAVP Injection. These reactions can cause difficulty breathing, redness of the skin, itching, rash or hives, dizziness due to a drop in blood pressure and swelling in different parts of the body, including the face or limbs. Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data).
Other side effects that might occur
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):
- headache
- nausea
- abdominal pain
- tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)1
- flushing (reddening of the skin)1
- hypotension (low blood pressure)1
- tiredness
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 patients):
- dizziness
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
- cerebral ischemia (stroke)2
- acute myocardial infarction (heart attack)2
- blood clots in deep veins, brain or lungs3
- angina pectoris2
- itching
hives
- 1.
For the treatment of bleeding (high dose) at
the time of administration, transient fall in blood pressure with increased heart rate and flushing.
- 2.
Reported in the treatment of bleeding (high
dose) and only in patients with a history of, or risk factors for blood clots, heart or blood vessel disease, or if you have had performed an angioplasty (artery-opening procedure).
- 3.
Reported mainly in the treatment of bleeding
(high dose).
- 1.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme, website: https:// yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store DDAVP Injection
DDAVP Injection should be stored in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C. Keep container in the outer carton.
Use by date: Do NOT use DDAVP Injection past the expiry date on the packaging. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This product should only be given by a doctor or qualified nurse and will be safely disposed of by them.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
Your medicine is called DDAVP Injection.
it is supplied in clear glass ampoules and each ampoule contains 1 ml of a clear, sterile colourless solution.
- each 1ml of the solution contains 4 micrograms of the active ingredient Desmopressin acetate dissolved in water for injection.
- other ingredients in DDAVP Injection are sodium chloride and hydrochloric acid.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ltd.,
Drayton Hall, Church Road, West Drayton, UB7 7PS, UK
Manufacturer
Ferring GmbH, Whittland 11, D-24109 Kiel, Germany.
This leaflet was last revised in July 2026
DDAVP, FERRING and the FERRING Logo are trademarks of Ferring.
1.3.2 Mock up PIL Pg. 2