Relationship between the dose of 1-deamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin (ddavp) and the antidiuretic response in man.

A definite relationship was found between the dose of DDAVP (1-24 mug intravenously and 5-320 mug intranasally) and the antidiuretic effects (expressed in changes in free water clearance per 100 ml GFR and in urine osmolality determined in 24 hour urine collection periods) in 7 patients with diabetes insipidus. The relationship was more conspicuous when the second 12 hour antidiuretic responses were considered, indicating a dose-dependent prolongation of the antidiuretic action. Time-curves of the antidiuretic responses proved the dose-dependent prolongation of the duration of antidiuretic action. Second 12 hour antidiuretic response increased more markedly when DDAVP was given divided in two doses a day as compared to the effects of the same quantity of the drug given as a single dose; only by the administration of excessive single doses the effects of the divided doses could be reproduced.