Vasopressin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

Vasopressin is a medicine sold in the U.S. under one brand. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the FDA (openFDA label, NDC Directory & Enforcement) sourcesUpdated Jul 24, 2026How we research

Key facts

Available as: Injectable
Sold as: Vasostrict
Prescription?: Prescription only
Generic available?: Not in our catalog

How vasopressin is dosed

From the FDA label for Vasostrict (application NDA204485). Other vasopressin products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

Dilute Vasostrict ® with normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) or 5% dextrose in water (D5W) to either 0.1 units/mL or 1 unit/mL for intravenous administration. Discard unused diluted solution after 18 hours at room temperature or 24 hours under refrigeration. ( 2.1 ) Post-cardiotomy shock: 0.03 to 0.1 units/minute ( 2.2 ) Septic shock: 0.01 to 0.07 units/minute ( 2.2 ) 2.1 Preparation of Diluted Solutions Dilute Vasostrict ® in normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) or 5% dextrose in water (D5W) prior to use for intravenous administration. Discard unused diluted solution after 18 hours at room temperature or 24 hours under refrigeration. Table 1 Preparation of diluted solutions Fluid restriction? Final concentration Mix Vasostrict ® Diluent No 0.1 units/mL 2.5 mL (50 units) 500 mL Yes 1 unit/mL 5 mL (100 units) 100 mL Inspect parenteral drug products for particulate matter and discoloration prior to use, whenever solution and container permit. 2.2 Administration The goal of treatment is optimization of perfusion to critical organs, but aggressive treatment can compromise perfusion of organs, like the gastrointestinal tract, whose function is difficult to monitor. The following advice is empirical. In general, titrate to the lowest dose compatible with a clinically acceptable response. For post-cardiotomy shock, start with a dose of 0.03 units/minute. For septic shock, start with…

Vasopressin side effects

The following adverse reactions associated with the use of vasopressin were identified in the literature. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not possible to estimate their frequency reliably or to establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Bleeding/lymphatic system disorders: Hemorrhagic shock, decreased platelets, intractable bleeding Cardiac disorders: Right heart failure, atrial fibrillation, bradycardia, myocardial ischemia Gastrointestinal disorders: Mesenteric ischemia Hepatobiliary: Increased bilirubin levels Renal/urinary disorders: Acute renal insufficiency Vascular disorders: Distal limb ischemia Metabolic: Hyponatremia Skin: Ischemic lesions The most common adverse reactions include decreased cardiac output, bradycardia, tachyarrhythmias, hyponatremia and ischemia (coronary, mesenteric, skin, digital). ( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Par Pharmaceutical at 1-800-828-9393 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Who shouldn’t take vasopressin

Vasostrict ® is contraindicated in patients with known allergy or hypersensitivity to 8-L-arginine vasopressin or chlorobutanol. Vasostrict ® is contraindicated in patients with known allergy or hypersensitivity to 8-L-arginine vasopressin or chlorobutanol. ( 4 )

Vasopressin drug interactions

Pressor effects of catecholamines and Vasostrict ® are expected to be additive. ( 7.1 ) Indomethacin may prolong effects of Vasostrict ® . ( 7.2 ) Co-administration of ganglionic blockers or drugs causing SIADH may increase the pressor response. ( 7.3 , 7.5 ) Co-administration of drugs causing diabetes insipidus may decrease the pressor response. ( 7.6 ) 7.1 Catecholamines Use with catecholamines is expected to result in an additive effect on mean arterial blood pressure and other hemodynamic parameters. 7.2 Indomethacin Use with indomethacin may prolong the effect of Vasostrict ® on cardiac index and systemic vascular resistance [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. 7.3 Ganglionic Blocking Agents Use with ganglionic blocking agents may increase the effect of Vasostrict ® on mean arterial blood pressure [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. 7.4 Furosemide Use with furosemide increases the effect of Vasostrict ® on osmolar clearance and urine flow [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. 7.5 Drugs Suspected of Causing SIADH Use with drugs suspected of causing SIADH (e.g., SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, haloperidol, chlorpropamide, enalapril, methyldopa, pentamidine, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, felbamate) may increase the pressor effect in addition to the antidiuretic effect of Vasostrict ® . 7.6 Drugs Suspected of Causing Diabetes Insipidus Use with drugs suspected of causing diabetes insipidus (e.g., demeclocycline, lithium, foscarnet, clozapine) may decrease the pressor effect in addition to the antidiuretic effect of Vasostrict ® .

Every vasopressin product we track (1)

Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.

Only one: Vasostrict.

Vasopressin recalls

From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.

How long vasopressin keeps

The date on a sealed pack is not the only one: some vasopressin labels start a second clock once the product is opened or mixed, as short as 18 hours.

Does vasopressin expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labels

Vasopressin and breastfeeding

From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.

No information is available on the clinical use of vasopressin (arginine vasopressin) during breastfeeding. However, a vasopressin derivative, desmopressin results in only small increases in milk arginine vasopressin levels. Because vasopressin is not orally absorbed it is unlikely to adversely affect the breastfed infant.

Full LactMed record for vasopressin: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider instead

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised June 21, 2021. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.

What people report to the FDA about vasopressin

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 4,545 reports naming vasopressin, and the FDA flagged 96% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:

hypotension545 reports
cardiogenic shock408 reports
sepsis407 reports
multiple organ dysfunction syndrome389 reports
acute kidney injury327 reports
stress312 reports
vomiting302 reports
general physical health deterioration280 reports

Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean vasopressin caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.

Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 26, 2026.

Related calculators

How long it stays in your system →

Frequently asked questions

What is vasopressin?

Vasopressin is a polypeptide hormone that causes contraction of vascular and other smooth muscles and antidiuresis. Vasostrict ® is a sterile, aqueous solution of synthetic arginine vasopressin for intravenous administration.

Can you take vasopressin with other medicines?

It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run vasopressin against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.

What forms does vasopressin come in?

Across the brands we track, vasopressin is currently marketed as injectable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.

Is there a generic vasopressin?

We do not currently list a generic-labelled vasopressin product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.

Has vasopressin been recalled?

The FDA's Enforcement database lists at least 5 recall records whose product description mentions vasopressin. The most recent: Vasopressin 2 Units/2 mL in 0.9% Sodium Chloride (May 18, 2026). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.

Cite this page

APA: pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Vasopressin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/vasopressin
MLA: “Vasopressin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/vasopressin.

We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.

Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.

Read the full FDA label for vasopressin on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.