[Hyponatremia during therapy of von Willebrand's disease. A life threatening complication after desmopressin (Minitrin) infusion]

We describe a patient with moderate von Willebrand's disease who developed severe hyponatremia during prophylaxis with 1-deamino-8D-arginine vasopressin (desmopressin) to prevent bleeding in connection with surgery. This is a rare complication to desmopressin treatment in adults. Our present policy is to restrict administration of desmopressin to three 12-hourly infusions, to measure serum sodium before and during the treatment period, to determine body weight daily and to restrict administration of fluids.