Desmopressin

What is Desmopressin?

Desmopressin is a medicine commonly used to treat bedwetting.

It can be used both short term (for example school trips or sleepovers) and long term.

Desmopressin works by reducing the amount of urine produced in the night by your kidneys.

Desmopressin is available in 2 forms;

• Desmotabs® which is a tablet.

• DesmoMelt® which is placed under the tongue and dissolves into the saliva.

Desmopressin should be used if:

• Rapid control is needed (e.g. school trips) or when an alarm is not appropriate

• Second line after an alarm has been tried

• When fast or short term-improvement is priority.

Desmopressin may be used together with an anti-cholinergic medication if it is only partially successful.

Anti-cholinergic medications are used to treat overactive bladders.

How often should Desmopressin be used and what dosage should be used?

Desmopressin should only be used in children aged 5 years and over.

The dosage is:

Desmotabs®

Initial dose: 200 micrograms for 7 to 10 days
If no improvement: 400 micrograms

DesmoMelts®

Initial dose: 120 micrograms for 7 to 10 days
If no improvement: 240 micrograms

After Desmopressin is first used, a review of your child’s progress and response should be made within 4 weeks.

If there is no response, the medication will be stopped.

If there are dry nights after Desmopressin is used, continue using it for 3 months and then review your child’s progress.

Every 3 months, withdraw treatment for 1 week to assess if dryness has been achieved.

Is there anything else I should know about using Desmopressin?

• Fluid intake must be restricted from 1 hour before taking the tablet, until 8 hours after taking the tablet.

This is to prevent the risk of fluid overload and hypernatremia (high levels of sodium in the blood).

• Avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen.

• Do not use during episodes of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Always read the patient information leaflet provided with the medication.

References

https://bnf.nice.org.uk/

Contact numbers

Children’s Services Hub

Children’s Continence Team, University Hospital Hartlepool.

Telephone: 01429 522417

Opening hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm (Monday to Friday)

Comments, concerns, compliments or complaints

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Telephone: 01642 624719

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Leaflet feedback

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