Diabetes Insipidus

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Basics

• Summary
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• Diagnosis and Tests

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• Genetics

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Summary

Diabetes insipidus (DI) causes frequent urination. You become extremely thirsty, so you drink. Then you urinate. This cycle can keep you from sleeping or even make you wet the bed. Your body produces lots of urine that is almost all water.

DI is different from diabetes mellitus (DM), which involves insulin problems and high blood sugar. The symptoms can be similar. However, DI is related to how your kidneys handle fluids. It's much less common than DM. Urine and blood tests can show which one you have.

Usually, DI is caused by a problem with your pituitary gland or your kidneys. Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. Medicines can often help.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Diabetes Insipidus (Endocrine Society) Also in Spanish
• Diabetes Insipidus (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Osmolality Tests (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Sodium Blood Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Wolfram syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Diabetes Insipidus (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Nuclear translocation of beta catenin in patients with Rathke cleft cysts-clinical...
• Article: Accelerated-Onset Diabetes Insipidus Secondary to Lithium Use.
• Article: Characteristics and factors influencing hypothalamic pituitary dysfunction in patients with craniopharyngioma.
• Diabetes Insipidus -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Patient Handouts

• Central diabetes insipidus (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Diabetes insipidus (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish