Non-hormonal drugs for the treatment of diabetes insipidus.

Patients with diabetes insipidus may be successfully controlled with drugs other than vasopressin. These have the advantage of being effective when administered orally. The most important are the diuretics and the hypoglycemic agent chlorpropamide. The mode of action, indications and side effects of these drugs are reviewed. A third potentially useful agent is clofibrate. Recent experience with this drug has been described but more observations are needed before its possible role in the management of diabetes insipidus can be established.