- 1 On being a patient
- 2 Modern medicine: foundations, achievements, and limitations
- 3 Global patterns of disease and medical practice
- 4 Cell biology
- 5 Immunological mechanisms
- 6 Principles of clinical oncology
- 7 Infection
- 8 Sexually transmitted diseases and sexual health
- 9 Chemical and physical injuries and environmental factors and disease
- 10 Clinical pharmacology
- 11 Nutrition
- 12 Metabolic disorders
- 13 Endocrine disorders
- 13.1 Principles of hormone action
- 13.2 Disorders of the anterior pituitary gland
- 13.3 Disorders of the posterior pituitary gland
- 13.4 The thyroid gland and disorders of thyroid function
- 13.5 Thyroid cancer
- 13.6 Parathyroid disorders and diseases altering calcium metabolism
- 13.7 Adrenal disorders
- 13.8 The reproductive system
- 13.9 Disorders of growth and development
- 13.10 Pancreatic endocrine disorders and multiple endocrine neoplasia
- 13.11 Disorders of glucose homeostasis
- 13.12 Hormonal manifestations of nonendocrine disease
- 13.13 The pineal gland and melatonin
- 14 Medical disorders in pregnancy
- 15 Gastroenterological disorders
- 16 Cardiovascular disorders
- 17 Critical care medicine
- 18 Respiratory disorders
- 19 Rheumatological disorders
- 20 Disorders of the skeleton
- 21 Disorders of the kidney and urinary tract
- 22 Disorders of the blood
- 23 Disorders of the skin
- 24 Neurological disorders
- 25 The eye
- 26 Psychiatry and drug related problems
- 27 Forensic medicine
- 28 Sports medicine
- 29 Geratology
- 30 Pain
- 31 Palliative medicine
- 32 Biochemistry in medicine
- 33 Acute medicine
(p. 1819) Disorders of the posterior pituitary gland
- Chapter:
- (p. 1819) Disorders of the posterior pituitary gland
- Author(s):
Aparna Pal
, Niki Karavitaki
, and John A. H. Wass
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199204854.003.1303
August 28, 2014: This chapter has been re-evaluated and remains up-to-date. No changes have been necessary.
The posterior pituitary produces arginine vasopressin, which has a key role in fluid homeostasis, and oxytocin, which stimulates uterine contraction during birth and ejection of milk during lactation.
Cranial diabetes insipidus is the passage of large volumes (>3 litres/24 h) of dilute urine (osmolality<300 mOsm/kg) due to vasopressin deficiency, and most commonly occurs as a consequence of trauma or tumour affecting the posterior pituitary. Diagnosed by a water deprivation test revealing urine osmolality less than 300 mOsml/kg with concurrent plasma osmolality more than 290 mOsml/kg after dehydration, with urine osmolality rising to more than 750 mOsml/kg after desmopressin. MRI of the neurohypophysis is required to delineate the cause. Mild polyuria can be managed simply by ensuring adequate fluid intake; treatment with the long-acting vasopressin analogue, desmopressin (desamino, D-8 arginine vasopressin; DDAVP), is used for more severe cases....
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- 1 On being a patient
- 2 Modern medicine: foundations, achievements, and limitations
- 3 Global patterns of disease and medical practice
- 4 Cell biology
- 5 Immunological mechanisms
- 6 Principles of clinical oncology
- 7 Infection
- 8 Sexually transmitted diseases and sexual health
- 9 Chemical and physical injuries and environmental factors and disease
- 10 Clinical pharmacology
- 11 Nutrition
- 12 Metabolic disorders
- 13 Endocrine disorders
- 13.1 Principles of hormone action
- 13.2 Disorders of the anterior pituitary gland
- 13.3 Disorders of the posterior pituitary gland
- 13.4 The thyroid gland and disorders of thyroid function
- 13.5 Thyroid cancer
- 13.6 Parathyroid disorders and diseases altering calcium metabolism
- 13.7 Adrenal disorders
- 13.8 The reproductive system
- 13.9 Disorders of growth and development
- 13.10 Pancreatic endocrine disorders and multiple endocrine neoplasia
- 13.11 Disorders of glucose homeostasis
- 13.12 Hormonal manifestations of nonendocrine disease
- 13.13 The pineal gland and melatonin
- 14 Medical disorders in pregnancy
- 15 Gastroenterological disorders
- 16 Cardiovascular disorders
- 17 Critical care medicine
- 18 Respiratory disorders
- 19 Rheumatological disorders
- 20 Disorders of the skeleton
- 21 Disorders of the kidney and urinary tract
- 22 Disorders of the blood
- 23 Disorders of the skin
- 24 Neurological disorders
- 25 The eye
- 26 Psychiatry and drug related problems
- 27 Forensic medicine
- 28 Sports medicine
- 29 Geratology
- 30 Pain
- 31 Palliative medicine
- 32 Biochemistry in medicine
- 33 Acute medicine