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Desmopressin

Desmopressin, Minirin, Nocutil, Novidin · ATC code H01BA02

Also known as: Desmopressin Acetate · Brand names: Minirin, Nocutil, Novidin, Octostim, Desmogalen, Desmopressin Teva, Desmopressin Viatris, Niwinas, Nocdurna, Octostim Dosierspray, Desmovital, Pridesmo, Ddavp, Desmoda, Stimate

Key facts
Active substance
Desmopressin
Drug class
Vasopressin receptor agonist
ATC code
H01BA02
Authorisation
authorised nationally; no central EU authorisation
Information as of
2026-10-29

Key facts

Desmopressin is a synthetic analogue of antidiuretic hormone. Per the US prescribing information, the tablets are used for central diabetes insipidus and primary nocturnal enuresis.

What it is used for

  • Antidiuretic replacement therapy in central diabetes insipidus
  • Temporary polyuria and polydipsia following head trauma or surgery in the pituitary region
  • Primary nocturnal enuresis, alone or as an adjunct to behavioral conditioning
  • Ineffective for nephrogenic diabetes insipidus

Dosing

  • Central diabetes insipidus (adults and children): start with 0.05 mg two times a day, adjusted individually; optimal range mostly 0.1 mg to 0.8 mg daily in divided doses; total daily dose within 0.1 mg to 1.2 mg in two or three doses
  • Switching from intranasal use: start tablets twelve hours after the last intranasal dose
  • Nocturnal enuresis, age 6 years and older: initially 0.2 mg at bedtime, may be titrated up to 0.6 mg
  • In enuresis, limit fluid intake to a minimum from 1 hour before the dose until the next morning, or at least 8 hours after
  • Elderly patients: careful dose selection; monitoring renal function may be useful

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity to desmopressin acetate or any component
  • Moderate to severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance below 50 mL/min)
  • Hyponatremia or a history of hyponatremia

Important warnings

  • Hyponatremia and water intoxication may occur and can be fatal if untreated; fluid restriction and careful medical supervision
  • Reduce fluid intake especially in pediatric and geriatric patients; watch for headache, nausea, weight gain, confusion, seizures
  • Caution in habitual or psychogenic polydipsia
  • Caution in coronary artery insufficiency or hypertensive cardiovascular disease because of a possible rise in blood pressure
  • Caution in conditions with fluid and electrolyte imbalance, such as cystic fibrosis, heart failure and renal disorders

Side effects

  • Headache (in enuresis 4% vs 3% on placebo)
  • Transient mild AST increases in long-term studies
  • Hyponatremia and water intoxication; rare hyponatremic convulsions
  • Rare severe allergic reactions

Interactions

  • Drugs increasing the risk of hyponatremia (e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, chlorpromazine, opiate analgesics, NSAIDs, lamotrigine, carbamazepine): use with caution
  • Hyponatremic convulsions reported with concomitant oxybutynin and imipramine
  • Other pressor agents: large doses only with careful monitoring

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

  • No adequate studies in pregnant women; animal studies showed no harm to the fetus

Summary of the official product information, written with AI on 2026-10-29. Every number was checked automatically against the original text. Not reviewed by a physician – the full official text is authoritative.

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For patients

Patient information (US)

This product has no separate US patient information.

Authorisation and brand names by country

Medicines with exactly this active-substance composition, as listed in the national registers – alphabetical and without ranking. Whether a product is currently available is not shown here.

Austria

  • DesmopressinGebro Pharma Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • MinirinFerring Arzneimittel Ges.M.B.H. · 4 register entries
  • NocutilGebro Pharma Gmbh · 4 register entries
  • NovidinGebro Pharma Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • OctostimFerring Arzneimittel Ges.M.B.H. · 2 register entries

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-29

Germany

  • DesmogalenGalenpharma Gmbh · 2 register entries
  • Desmopressin TevaTeva Gmbh · 2 register entries
  • Desmopressin ViatrisViatris Germany Gmbh · 2 register entries
  • MinirinFerring Gmbh · 4 register entries
  • NiwinasInfectopharm Arzneimittel Und Consilium Gmbh, De, Heppenheim · 1 register entry
  • NocdurnaFerring Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • NocutilApogepha Arzneimittel Gmbh, Gebro Pharma Gmbh · 4 register entries
  • Octostim DosiersprayFerring Gmbh · 1 register entry

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-29

Turkey

  • DesmovitalER-KİM İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 1 register entry
  • MinirinFERRİNG İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. LTD. ŞTİ. · 15 register entries
  • OctostimFERRİNG İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. LTD. ŞTİ. · 2 register entries
  • PridesmoFARMA-TEK İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 2 register entries

Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16

USA

  • DdavpFerring Pharmaceuticals Inc. · 2 register entries
  • DesmodaEton Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 1 register entry
  • StimateFerring Pharmaceuticals Inc. · 1 register entry

Source: U.S. FDA – Drug labels (openFDA/DailyMed), as of 2026-10-29

Brand names in 27 more European countries
Belgium
Desmopressine Ferring, Desmopressine Teva, Melt, Minirin, Nocdurna
Bulgaria
Минирин, Мирам
Croatia
Minirin, Tunient
Cyprus
Midese, Minirin, Nocdurna
Czechia
Desmopressin Aristo, Desmopressin Stada, Desmopressin Teva, Desmopressin Viatris, Dursea, Minirin, Octim
Denmark
Desmopressin "sandoz", Desmopressin Newbury, Desmopressin Stada, Desmopressin Teva, Desmopressin Viatris, Desmopressin Zentiva, Minirin, Nocdurna, Nocutil, Octostim, Veluna
Estonia
Minirin, Mitaclau, Nokdirna, Octostim
Finland
Desmopressin, Minirin, Nocdurna, Octostim, Veluna
France
Desmopressine Biogaran, Desmopressine Eg, Desmopressine Sandoz, Desmopressine Teva, Desmopressine Viatris, Desmopressine Zentiva, Minirin, Minirinmelt, Octim
Greece
Defirin Melt, Minirin Melt, Nictur, Nocdurna
Hungary
Minirin, Nocutil, Octostim
Iceland
Desmopressin, Midese, Minirin, Mitaclau, Nestod, Nocdurna, Octostim, Tunient
Ireland
Ddavp, Desmotabs Melt, Noqturina, Nordurine
Italy
Desmopressina Doc, Desmopressina Mylan, Desmopressina Sandoz, Desmopressina Teva, Desmopressina Zentiva, Emosint, Minirin/Ddavp, Pseurin
Latvia
Minirin, Mitaclau, Nokdirna, Octostim
Lithuania
Desmopressin Sumar, Minirin, Mitaclau, Nokdirna, Octostim
Luxembourg
Desmopressine Ferring, Desmopressine Melt Ferring, Melt, Minirin Melt, Minirin Spray, Nocdurna
Malta
Ddavp, Desmopressin Sumar, Desmotabs Melt, Nestod, Nocutil, Nordurine
Netherlands
Desmopressine, Minrin, Nocdurna, Octostim
Norway
Desmopressin Newbury, Desmopressin Sandoz, Desmopressin Stada, Desmopressin Teva B.V., Desmopressin Viatris, Desmopressin Zentiva, Minirin, Nocdurna, Octostim, Veluna
Poland
Adin, Desmopressin Aristo, Dursea, Minirin, Noqturina
Portugal
Ddavp, Desmopressina Sandoz, Desmopressina Teva, Desmopressina Zentiva, Minirin, Nictur, Nocdurna
Romania
Minirin, Nocdurna
Slovakia
Dezmopresín Stada, Dezmopresín Teva, Minirin
Slovenia
Minirin
Spain
Desmirin, Desmopresina Aristo, Desmopresina Sandoz, Desmopresina Stada, Desmopresina Teva, Gamavan, Minurin, Nictur, Octostim, Wetirin
Sweden
Anoctarin, Desmopressin Farmacia, Desmopressin Ferring, Desmopressin Newbury, Desmopressin Orion, Desmopressin Sandoz, Desmopressin Stada, Desmopressin Teva, Desmopressin Zentiva, Minirin, Nocdurna, Nocutil, Octostim, Veluna

EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29

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Sources

  1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Desmopressin Acetate (Nordic Pharma, Inc.) – Prescribing Information, 2024-12-06. DailyMed (NLM), 2026-10-29. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=c01048e8-d28f-4085-9c37-3d5d48395a77
  2. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  3. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  4. TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85
  5. U.S. FDA – Drug labels (openFDA/DailyMed), 2026-10-29. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/
  6. Wikidata (CC0): ATC H01BA.

Editorial: Medelix editorial team · last updated 2026-10-29 · How these pages are made · Report an error

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), prescribing information, via DailyMed (NLM); public domain. Not advertising, not a treatment recommendation. For questions about your own treatment, ask your doctor or pharmacist.