Vasopressin Reference

Plain English

What it is

Vasopressin (brand name Vasostrict) is an FDA-approved prescription medicine given through a vein (IV) in hospitals. It is a lab-made copy of a natural body hormone that tightens blood vessels and raises blood pressure. It is not the same drug as desmopressin.

What people use it for

Doctors use it in intensive care to raise dangerously low blood pressure in adults whose shock does not improve after fluids and other emergency medicines. There is no at-home or wellness use; it is only given by hospital clinicians.

What the science shows

Its approved use rests on human evidence, and the label says it raises the body's resistance to blood flow and the average blood pressure, which can lower how much of another blood-pressure drug is needed.

The catch

This is a critical-care medicine, never a self-care, fat-loss, or performance product. Stopping it can cause a short-lived form of diabetes insipidus (too much urine, low body water, and high blood sodium), and it can lower the heart's output. It is easy to mix up with desmopressin, but they are different drugs.

Reference summary

Vasopressin is a label-verified V1/V2 receptor agonist for vasodilatory shock. pepSmart surfaces label-reference content only and must not imply at-home or wellness use.

Regulatory and posture

Categories

Hormonal

Aliases

Vasostrict, Arginine vasopressin, AVP

Evidence posture

human

Regulatory status

FDA-approved prescription medication (Vasostrict). Indicated to increase blood pressure in adults with vasodilatory shock who remain hypotensive despite fluids and catecholamines. Hospital / ICU clinician-administered only. Not the same drug as desmopressin.

Content review status

label verified