If this is not your name, click here.
| | If this is not your name, click here. | | |
| | Contact Us | Order Now | Journals | Bookstore | Register a colleague | | |
| |  DDAVP (Desmopressin Acetate) Available In Canada For Nocturnal Enuresis TORONTO, ON -- March 8, 2001 -- A small, white tablet, now available in Canada, offers a discreet and easy solution for children and their parents who are struggling to cope with an ongoing bedwetting problem and the resulting shame and frustration the condition produces. DDAVP® 0.2 mg Tablets (desmopressin acetate) have been approved by Health Canada for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) in patients five years and older. An estimated 200,000 Canadians between the ages of five and 19 years of age wet their beds regularly. Twice as many boys as girls are affected. "Although bedwetting is often believed to be a psychological or behavioural problem, we have known since the 1980s that a significant proportion of cases are caused by delayed production of a naturally-occurring hormone called arginine vasopressin," said Dr. Sidney Nusinowitz, a family physician at Mount Sinai Hospital. "It has taken us since then to develop a replacement hormone that is easy for kids to take, as well as safe and effective. Up until now, the replacement hormone has only been available as a nasal spray which was tricky to operate properly, so people did not always receive an effective dose. The new tablets, whether swallowed or crushed, will be much simpler for kids to manage." Taken once a day, one hour before bedtime, the tablets are a synthetic copy of arginine vasopressin. Most people normally begin to produce arginine vasopressin between the ages of two and five. It limits the amount of urine produced at night so the bladder does not overflow. "In many bedwetters, the production of appropriate levels of arginine vasopressin is delayed, just as puberty occurs later in some people than others. In almost every case, the child will eventually begin to produce the necessary hormone, however that may occur after years of embarrassment, shame and loss of self-esteem," said Dr. Nusinowitz. According to a recent report produced by the World Health Organization (WHO), bedwetting is a major health issue because it has a significant effect on the child's quality of life and self-esteem. Many children feel they can't go away to summer camp or "sleep-overs". Others may also be afraid to invite friends to their home because of the lingering smell of urine. As the child develops emotionally, so can the problem, and many children end up feeling angry, moody, ashamed or bewildered. Parents can also experience psychological distress. They may feel perplexed or frustrated, concerned for their child's well-being and, in some cases, may be intolerant and resort to punishing their child. Parents can also face a burden of increased laundry, the cost of replacing mattresses and the expense of diapers. Despite this, many parents are reluctant to talk about the condition, not only with friends but also with their family doctor. They may be too embarrassed or simply believe that the child will eventually grow out of the condition and the family just has to put up with it. "I am disturbed at the number of parents who do not consider talking to a doctor about their child's bedwetting", says Dr. Nusinowitz. "Safe and effective treatments are available that will control the bedwetting episodes in the majority of cases, and, in some instances, even cure them. DDAVP can definitely help chronic bedwetters, particularly those over the age of five who are at real risk of developing a poor self-image. I would encourage any parent who is having difficulty managing the problem, and whose child is becoming stressed by bedwetting, to consult their physician." Studies have shown that as many as 80 per cent of children, whose bedwetting is caused by the lack of arginine vasopressin, have shown a positive response when treated with desmopressin on a nightly basis. While bedwetting may reoccur upon discontinuation of the medication, some children can become permanently dry with the treatment. Very few side effects have been seen due to the fact that desmopressin is simply a copy of a substance that is natural to the body. "My daughter has just started using the DDAVP Tablets", says Shelby, mother of a nine-year-old daughter who has tried many different types of treatments over the years without success. "I'm amazed at how it has helped her self-confidence. She feels successful when she wakes up dry in the morning and she doesn't feel different from the other kids anymore." Prior to the approval of the tablets, DDAVP was available as a nasal spray. However, the tablets are more popular with patients and doctors because of its ease-of-use and increased effectiveness in children with stuffy nose due to a cold or allergy. Although the spray has been available for more than 10 years, many children (and parents too) found it difficult to "master" the required technique to get an effective dose. The spray works only if absorbed in the nose (nasal musosa), not the sinuses, and if it is sniffed during administration, the effectiveness can be lost. Children who are currently using the spray and want to switch to tablets can start taking the tablets 24 hours after the last time the spray was used. If the child does not feel comfortable swallowing a pill, DDAVP tablets can be chewed or crushed and mixed with applesauce. DDAVP 0.2 mg Tablets are manufactured and distributed by Ferring Pharmaceuticals which is involved in the discovery, development and marketing of pharmaceutical products with an emphasis on peptide therapies such as DDAVP.
|
