Desmopressin: a nontransfusional form of treatment for congenital and acquired bleeding disorders.

Desmopressin (1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin, abbreviated DDAVP) is a synthetic analogue of the antidiuretic hormone L-arginine vasopressin. Because it can raise circulating levels of factor VIII coagulant activity (FVIII) and von Willebrand factor and shorten the prolonged bleeding time, DDAVP is established as a nontransfusional form of treatment for mild and moderate hemophilia and von Willebrand disease. Recently, DDAVP has also been purported to be useful for shortening the prolonged skin bleeding times that occur with uremia, cirrhosis, and platelet dysfunctions of various etiologies. Finally, there is evidence from controlled clinical trials that DDAVP can reduce blood loss and transfusion requirements for hemostatically normal individuals undergoing spinal fusion surgery and for patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. The purpose of this report is to review the therapeutic applications of DDAVP in congenital and acquired bleeding disorders and to discuss areas in which further basic and clinical research is needed.