Treatment of hyponatremia: the role of lixivaptan.
Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder and is associated with serious neurologic sequelae and increased mortality. Conventional treatment options for hyponatremia, such as fluid restriction, hypertonic saline, loop diuretics, demeclocycline or urea, are ineffective in the long-term. The present review considers the role of vasopressin receptor inhibitors (vaptans), focusing on lixivaptan, in the treatment of patients with euvolemic or hypervolemic hyponatremia. Lixivaptan is an oral selective V2 receptor inhibitor, which produces a significantly greater increase of serum sodium levels compared with placebo. These effects seem promising, but more trials are needed to examine whether the beneficial effect of lixivaptan on serum sodium concentration translates into clinical benefit in these patient populations.
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
George
G
Liamis
Theodosios D
TD
Filippatos
Moses S
MS
Elisaf
D065092:Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001549:Benzamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D001569:Benzodiazepines
D065092:Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists; D001549:Benzamides; D011758:Pyrroles; D012964:Sodium; C409452:lixivaptan; D001569:Benzodiazepines
V2 receptor inhibitors; antidiuretic hormone; heart failure; hyponatremia; lixivaptan; sodium; vaptans; vasopressin