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DDAVP

Desmopressin Acetate · Tablet

Prescription NDA TE AB RLD Official labelling
Informational index, not medical advice. Content is reproduced from public FDA and NLM data. Always confirm against the manufacturer's current prescribing information. Report adverse events to FDA MedWatch.

Overview

Brand name
DDAVP
Generic name
Desmopressin Acetate
Dosage form
Tablet
Route
Oral
Marketing category
NDA · NDA
Labeler
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Product type
Human Prescription Drug
DEA schedule
Not scheduled
Active ingredients
2
NDC product codes
2
Packages
2
Data completeness
76% of corroborating sources present

Active ingredients

Source: NDC Directory
Active ingredients and strengths as listed in the NDC Directory.
Ingredient Strength RxCUI Monograph
Desmopressin Acetate .1 mg/1 849501 View
Desmopressin Acetate .2 mg/1 849501 View

Forms, strengths and routes

Source: NDC Directory
Dosage form
Tablet
Route of administration
Oral
Presentations
4

Pharmacologic classes are listed in the class section below.

Pharmacologic class

Source: NDC Directory
Established pharmacologic classes (EPC), mechanisms of action (MoA), chemical structures (CS) and physiologic effects (PE).
Class Type Browse
Factor VIII Activator [EPC] EPC 6 members — no class page
Increased Coagulation Factor VIII Activity [PE] PE 6 members — no class page
Increased Coagulation Factor VIII Concentration [PE] PE 6 members — no class page
Vasopressin Analog [EPC] EPC 6 members — no class page
Vasopressins [CS] CS All 10 members

Regulatory status

Source: Drugs@FDANDC Directory
Application number
019955
Application type
NDA · New Drug Application
Approval date
September 6, 1995
Sponsor
FERRING PHARMS INC
Products on application
2
Submissions recorded
8
Products approved under application 019955.
Product Trade name Form Strength Ingredient Status TE Flags
019955-001 DDAVP TABLET DESMOPRESSIN ACETATE Prescription AB RLD
019955-002 DDAVP TABLET DESMOPRESSIN ACETATE Prescription AB RLD RS

Therapeutic equivalence

Source: Orange Book
TE code
AB
Reference Listed Drug
Yes
Reference Standard
Yes

What this rating means: Therapeutically equivalent — bioequivalence demonstrated by in vivo or in vitro testing

Codes beginning with “A” indicate products the FDA considers therapeutically equivalent. Codes beginning with “B” indicate bioequivalence has not been established. See methodology.

Approval history

Source: Drugs@FDA
Most recent submissions on application 019955.
Type No. Action Status Date Review
Supplement 16 Manufacturing (CMC) Approved February 28, 2014 Standard
Supplement 13 Labeling Approved October 26, 2007 Standard
Supplement 10 Labeling Approved November 10, 2005 Standard
Supplement 5 Labeling Approved November 12, 2003 Standard
Supplement 3 Manufacturing (CMC) Approved October 31, 2000 Standard
Supplement 2 Manufacturing (CMC) Approved September 24, 1999 Standard
Supplement 1 Efficacy Approved March 25, 1998 Standard
Original application 1 Type 3 - New Dosage Form Approved September 6, 1995 Standard

Review documents

  • 0 · Supplement · March 8, 2022
  • 0 · Original application · December 4, 2007
  • 0 · Supplement · November 8, 2007
  • 0 · Supplement · November 17, 2005
  • 0 · Supplement · November 16, 2005
  • 0 · Supplement · November 25, 2003

Prescribing information

Source: openFDA Drug Labeling

Reproduced verbatim from the Structured Product Labeling submitted to the FDA (effective 20210203). This is the manufacturer's labelling text, not a summary and not advice.

HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG · 20210203

Indications and Usage

openFDA Drug Labeling

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Central Diabetes Insipidus DDAVP Tablets are indicated as antidiuretic replacement therapy in the management of central diabetes insipidus and for the management of the temporary polyuria and polydipsia following head trauma or surgery in the pituitary region. DDAVP is ineffective for the treatment of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Patients were selected for therapy based on the diagnosis by means of the water deprivation test, the hypertonic saline infusion test, and/or response to antidiuretic hormone. Continued response to DDAVP can be monitored by measuring urine volume and osmolality. Primary Nocturnal Enuresis DDAVP Tablets are indicated for the management of primary nocturnal enuresis. DDAVP may be used alone or as an adjunct to behavioral conditioning or other non-pharmacologic intervention.

Dosage and Administration

openFDA Drug Labeling

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Central Diabetes Insipidus The dosage of DDAVP Tablets must be determined for each individual patient and adjusted according to the diurnal pattern of response. Response should be estimated by two parameters: adequate duration of sleep and adequate, not excessive, water turnover. Patients previously on intranasal DDAVP therapy should begin tablet therapy twelve hours after the last intranasal dose. During the initial dose titration period, patients should be observed closely and appropriate safety parameters measured to assure adequate response. Patients should be monitored at regular intervals during the course of DDAVP Tablet therapy to assure adequate antidiuretic response. Modifications in dosage regimen should be implemented as necessary to assure adequate water turnover. Fluid restriction should be observed. (See WARNINGS , PRECAUTIONS, Pediatric Use and Geriatric Use .) Adults and Children It is recommended that patients be started on doses of 0.05 mg (1⁄2 of the 0.1 mg tablet) two times a day and individually adjusted to their optimum therapeutic dose. Most patients in clinical trials found that the optimal dosage range is 0.1 mg to 0.8 mg daily, administered in divided doses. Each dose should be separately adjusted for an adequate diurnal rhythm of water turnover. Total daily dosage should be increased or decreased in the range of 0.1 mg to 1.2 mg divided into two or three daily doses as needed to obtain adequate antidiuresis. See Pediatric Use subsection for special considerations when administering desmopressin acetate to pediatric diabetes insipidus patients. Geriatric Use This drug is known to be substantially excreted by the kidney, and the risk of toxic reactions to this drug may be greater in patients with impaired renal function. Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, care should be taken in dose selection, and it may be useful to monitor renal function. (See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Human Pharmacokinetics , CONTRAINDICATIONS , and PRECAUTIONS, Geriatric Use .) Primary Nocturnal Enuresis The dosage of DDAVP Tablets must be determined for each individual patient and adjusted according to response. Patients previously on intranasal DDAVP therapy can begin tablet therapy the night following (24 hours after) the last intranasal dose. The recommended initial dose for patients age 6 years and older is 0.2 mg at bedtime. The dose may be titrated up to 0.6 mg to achieve the desired response. Fluid restriction should be observed, and fluid intake should be limited to a minimum from 1 hour before desmopressin acetate administration, until the next morning, or at least 8 hours after administration. (See WARNINGS , PRECAUTIONS, Pediatric Use and Geriatric Use .)

Contraindications

openFDA Drug Labeling

CONTRAINDICATIONS DDAVP Tablets are contraindicated in individuals with known hypersensitivity to desmopressin acetate or to any of the components of DDAVP Tablets. DDAVP is contraindicated in patients with moderate to severe renal impairment (defined as a creatinine clearance below 50 mL/min). DDAVP is contraindicated in patients with hyponatremia or a history of hyponatremia.

WARNINGS 1. Very rare cases of hyponatremia have been reported from world-wide postmarketing experience in patients treated with DDAVP (desmopressin acetate). DDAVP is a potent antidiuretic which, when administered, may lead to water intoxication and/or hyponatremia. Unless properly diagnosed and treated hyponatremia can be fatal. Therefore, fluid restriction is recommended and should be discussed with the patient and/or guardian. Careful medical supervision is required. 2. When DDAVP Tablets are administered, in particular in pediatric and geriatric patients, fluid intake should be adjusted downward to decrease the potential occurrence of water intoxication and hyponatremia. (See PRECAUTIONS, Pediatric Use and Geriatric Use .) All patients receiving DDAVP therapy should be observed for the following signs of symptoms associated with hyponatremia: headache, nausea/vomiting, decreased serum sodium, weight gain, restlessness, fatigue, lethargy, disorientation, depressed reflexes, loss of appetite, irritability, muscle weakness, muscle spasms or cramps and abnormal mental status such as hallucinations, decreased consciousness and confusion. Severe symptoms may include one or a combination of the following: seizure, coma and/or respiratory arrest. Particular attention should be paid to the possibility of the rare occurrence of an extreme decrease in plasma osmolality that may result in seizures which could lead to coma. 3. DDAVP should be used with caution in patients with habitual or psychogenic polydipsia who may be more likely to drink excessive amounts of water, putting them at greater risk of hyponatremia.

Adverse Reactions

openFDA Drug Labeling

ADVERSE REACTIONS Infrequently, large doses of the intranasal formulations of DDAVP and DDAVP Injection have produced transient headache, nausea, flushing and mild abdominal cramps. These symptoms have disappeared with reduction in dosage. Central Diabetes Insipidus In long-term clinical studies in which patients with diabetes insipidus were followed for periods up to 44 months of DDAVP Tablet therapy, transient increases in AST (SGOT) no higher than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal were occasionally observed. Elevated AST (SGOT) returned to the normal range despite continued use of DDAVP Tablets . Primary Nocturnal Enuresis The only adverse event occurring in ≥3% of patients in controlled clinical trials with DDAVP Tablets that was probably, possibly, or remotely related to study drug was headache (4% DDAVP, 3% placebo). Other The following adverse events have been reported; however their relationship to DDAVP has not been established: abnormal thinking, diarrhea, and edema-weight gain. See WARNINGS for the possibility of water intoxication and hyponatremia. Post Marketing: There have been rare reports of hyponatremic convulsions associated with concomitant use with the following medications: oxybutinin and imipramine.

Drug Interactions

openFDA Drug Labeling

Drug Interactions Although the pressor activity of DDAVP is very low compared to its antidiuretic activity, large doses of DDAVP Tablets should be used with other pressor agents only with careful patient monitoring. The concomitant administration of drugs that may increase the risk of water intoxication with hyponatremia, (e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, chlorpromazine, opiate analgesics, NSAIDs, lamotrigine and carbamazepine) should be performed with caution.

Description

openFDA Drug Labeling

DESCRIPTION DDAVP® Tablets (desmopressin acetate) are a synthetic analogue of the natural pituitary hormone 8-arginine vasopressin (ADH), an antidiuretic hormone affecting renal water conservation. It is chemically defined as follows: Mol. Wt. 1183.34 Empirical Formula: C 46 H 64 N 14 O 12 S 2 ∙C 2 H 4 O 2 ∙3H 2 O 1-(3-mercaptopropionic acid)-8-D-arginine vasopressin monoacetate (salt) trihydrate. DDAVP Tablets contain either 0.1 or 0.2 mg desmopressin acetate. Inactive ingredients include: lactose, potato starch, magnesium stearate and povidone. Chemical Structure

OVERDOSAGE Signs of overdose may include confusion, drowsiness, continuing headache, problems with passing urine and rapid weight gain due to fluid retention. (See WARNINGS .) In case of overdose, the dose should be reduced, frequency of administration decreased, or the drug withdrawn according to the severity of the condition. There is no known specific antidote for DDAVP. The patient should be observed and treated with appropriate symptomatic therapy. An oral LD 50 has not been established. Oral doses up to 0.2 mg/kg/day have been administered to dogs and rats for 6 months without any significant drug-related toxicities reported. An intravenous dose of 2 mg/kg in mice demonstrated no effect.

How Supplied / Storage and Handling

openFDA Drug Labeling

HOW SUPPLIED Strength Size NDC Code Color Markings 0.1 mg Bottle of 100 55566-2600-0 White 0.2 mg Bottle of 100 55566-2700-0 White Figure Figure Store at Controlled Room Temperature 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F) [see USP]. Avoid exposure to excessive heat or light. This product should be dispensed in a container with a child-resistant cap. Keep out of the reach of children.

Adverse event reports

Source: openFDA FAERS
3,776
FAERS reports mentioning this drug
as of 2026-09-25T03:42:24+00:00
A report count is not a risk measure. FAERS accepts voluntary and mandatory reports without establishing causation, and reporting is influenced by how widely a drug is used, how long it has been marketed, and media attention. FDA states that reports “do not prove that the drug caused the event”. Compare rates, not totals.

Attributed to this product's most-reported active ingredient: DESMOPRESSIN ACETATE. Combination products with more than six active ingredients are not attributed, because a report count summed across a long ingredient list measures the list, not the medicine.

Packaging and NDCs

Source: NDC Directory
Every National Drug Code package associated with this medication. The NDC is the identifier used for dispensing, billing and pharmacovigilance in the United States.
Package NDC Product NDC Labeler Description Marketing start
55566-2600-0 55566-2600 Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. 1 BOTTLE in 1 CARTON (55566-2600-0) / 100 TABLET in 1 BOTTLE May 5, 2008
55566-2700-0 55566-2700 Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. 1 BOTTLE in 1 CARTON (55566-2700-0) / 100 TABLET in 1 BOTTLE May 5, 2008
55566-2600 55566-2600 Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. — September 6, 1995
55566-2700 55566-2700 Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. — September 6, 1995

Sources for this page

Every dataset that contributed a fact to this page.
Dataset Agency Used for
NDC Directory FDA Identity, ingredients, strengths, forms, routes, labelers, packages
Drugs@FDA FDA Application, sponsor, submissions, review documents, marketing status
Orange Book FDA Therapeutic equivalence codes, reference drug flags, patents, exclusivity
Drug Labeling FDA / NLM Prescribing information reproduced above
FAERS FDA Adverse event report counts

Generated September 25, 2026 · 12 sections on this page.