Consumer Health: What is diabetes insipidus?

Diabetes insipidus is a uncommon dysfunction that causes an imbalance of fluids within the physique. It is estimated to have an effect on about 1 in 25,000 individuals worldwide, based on the Nationwide Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Illness.
Whereas the phrases “diabetes insipidus” and “diabetes mellitus” sound related, they are not associated. Diabetes mellitus — which entails excessive blood sugar ranges and may happen as Sort 1 or Sort 2 — is widespread and sometimes referred to easily as diabetes.
The fluid imbalance brought on by diabetes insipidus leads you to supply giant quantities of urine. It additionally makes you extraordinarily thirsty, even when you’ve got one thing to drink. This will result in dehydration and an imbalance in minerals in your blood, reminiscent of sodium and potassium.
The trigger is determined by which of these kinds of diabetes insipidus you will have:
- Central diabetes insipidus
Harm to the pituitary gland or hypothalamus from surgical procedure, a tumor, head damage or sickness may cause central diabetes insipidus by affecting the same old manufacturing, storage and launch of a hormone referred to as anti-diuretic hormone, or ADH. An inherited genetic illness can also trigger this situation. - Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus happens when there is a defect within the buildings in your kidneys that makes your kidneys unable to correctly reply to anti-diuretic hormone. The defect could also be attributable to an inherited genetic dysfunction or a power kidney dysfunction. Sure medication, together with lithium and antiviral drugs reminiscent of foscarnet (Foscavir), can also trigger nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. - Gestational diabetes insipidus
Gestational diabetes insipidus is uncommon. It happens solely throughout being pregnant when an enzyme made by the placenta destroys anti-diuretic hormone within the mom. - Major polydipsia
Often known as dipsogenic diabetes insipidus, this situation may cause manufacturing of huge quantities of diluted urine from ingesting extreme quantities of fluids. Major polydipsia will be brought on by injury to the thirst-regulating mechanism within the hypothalamus. The situation additionally has been linked to psychological sickness, reminiscent of schizophrenia.
Remedy choices depend upon the kind of diabetes insipidus you will have and may embrace medicine, modifying your water consumption and following a low-salt eating regimen.
Join with others speaking about diabetes insipidus and associated problems within the Diabetes & Endocrine System assist group on Mayo Clinic Join, an internet affected person group moderated by Mayo Clinic.