What the label lists and what reports show
Desmopressin side effects
Desmopressin's FDA label lists its adverse reactions in its own words. FAERS holds 3,777 reports naming it through July 30, 2026; the reaction reported most often, leaving out the conditions it is used for, product-use terms and outcomes, is hyponatraemia (357 reports).
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the desmopressin FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 3, 2021, Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.); the FDA FAERS public dashboard.
What does the patient leaflet say about side effects?
From the patient leaflet: What are the possible side effects of STIMATE?STIMATE may cause serious side effects including: low salt (sodium) levels in the blood (hyponatremia). STIMATE may cause low sodium levels in the blood that can be serious, which may be life-threatening, and can lead to death. People using STIMATE are at risk for low sodium levels in the blood, water intoxication, and fluid overload. Children and the elderly are at higher risk for developing hyponatremia. Your healthcare provide will check your sodium levels during treatment with STIMATE as needed. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on limiting the amount of fluid you can drink when using STIMATE. You should limit fluid intake1 hour before using STIMATE and until at least 24 hours after using STIMATE. Limit your fluid intake and monitor how much you urinate during treatment with STIMATE. […]
Source: FDA drug label (Stimate), Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective July 22, 2026 (SPL set f5ada39c-20ed-4500-9dce-1e4ab642a358), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the label list?
From the label: adverse reactionsInfrequently, 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; …
Source: FDA drug label, Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective February 3, 2021 (SPL set 6d55baa9-2b62-469c-93ae-3909ab249332), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show?
3,777 reports list desmopressin among the medicines taken, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 249 are coded as a death and 1,372 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is. Of the 20 reactions below, 10 are named by the same term (in US spelling) in the label's adverse reactions, warnings or patient leaflet; a reaction the label does not name may still be there under another word, and a report does not show that the medicine caused it.
Reports received each year
The 25 most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026; reactions as MedDRA preferred terms
What next?
- Desmopressin: the full record
- label, generics, price, shortages, recalls
- Report a side effect to the FDA
- MedWatch
- Side effects hub
- the most reported medicines and reactions