Until recently, two nonselective agents, lithium (see Chapter 29) and demeclocycline (a tetracycline antimicrobial drug discussed in Chapter 44), were used for their well-known interference with ADH activity. The mechanism for this interference has not been completely determined for either of these agents. Demeclocycline is used more often than lithium because of the many adverse effects of lithium administration. However, demeclocycline is now being rapidly replaced by several specific ADH receptor antagonists (vaptans), which have yielded encouraging clinical results.
There are three known vasopressin receptors, V1a, V1b, and V2. V1 receptors are expressed in the vasculature and CNS, while V2 receptors are expressed specifically in the kidney. Conivaptan (currently available only for intravenous use) exhibits activity against both V1a and V2 receptors (see below). The oral agents tolvaptan, lixivaptan, mozavaptan, and satavaptan are selectively active against the V2 receptor. Lixivaptan, mozavaptan, and satavaptan are still under clinical investigation, but tolvaptan, which is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is very effective in treatment of hyponatremia and as an adjunct to standard diuretic therapy in patients with CHF.
The half-lives of conivaptan and demeclocycline are 5–10 hours, while that of tolvaptan is 12–24 hours.
Antidiuretic hormone antagonists inhibit the effects of ADH in the collecting tubule. Conivaptan and tolvaptan are direct ADH receptor antagonists, while both lithium and demeclocycline reduce ADH-induced cAMP by unknown mechanisms.
A. Syndrome of Inappropriate ADH Secretion
Antidiuretic hormone antagonists are used to manage SIADH when water restriction has failed to correct the abnormality. This generally occurs in the outpatient setting, where water restriction cannot be enforced, but can occur in the hospital when large quantities of intravenous fluid are needed for other purposes. Demeclocycline (600–1200 mg/d) or tolvaptan (15–60 mg/d) can be used for SIADH. Appropriate plasma levels of demeclocycline (2 mcg/mL) should be maintained by monitoring, but tolvaptan levels are not routinely monitored. Unlike demeclocycline or tolvaptan, conivaptan is administered intravenously and is not suitable for chronic use in outpatients.
B. Other Causes of Elevated Antidiuretic Hormone
Antidiuretic hormone is also elevated in response to diminished effective circulating blood volume, as often occurs in heart failure. Due to the elevated ADH levels, hyponatremia may result. As in the management of SIADH, water restriction is frequently the treatment of choice. In patients with heart failure, this approach is often unsuccessful in view of increased thirst and the large number of oral medications being used. For patients with heart failure, intravenous conivaptan may be particularly useful because it has been found that the blockade of V1a receptors by this drug leads to decreased peripheral vascular resistance and increased cardiac output.
C. Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease