It is essential to get a good night’s sleep in order to function properly the next day. Your body and mind needs the rest. Sleep is precious! So, if nocturia (waking up to pee two or more times during the night) is putting a strain on your sleep, then you must correct it. But remember, you are not alone in the marathon. More than 20% of all men in the U.S. are suffering from this condition. We could say that this is why the need for a therapeutic drug for nocturia arose.

Figure out the issue

Before getting to know the drug, let’s see how to tell if an individual is peeing too often. Sprinting to the restroom is normal sometimes. But, if you’re making mad dashes to the restroom multiple times in a given day, then you might be a victim of a serious health issue. Note that if you are peeing over seven times in a day it could indicate a medical problem. During the night, if you are getting up to urinate two to three times, then it could be a red flag. This is because most people are able to get a sound sleep at night without having to get up to urinate at all. If you are among them who are getting up to pee more often during the night, then we would recommend you to attend the problem as early as possible.

Possible causes of nocturia:

Nocturia may be caused by a variety of reasons. Some of the common causes include:

• Congestive heart failure
• Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus
• Medications
• Disease of the bladder or prostate

FDA-approved drug for nocturnal polyuria

The above paragraph might have caused concern, especially if you can relate to some of these symptoms. But on the plus side, there is now an FDA-approved drug to treat the condition of nocturnal polyuria. The drug is called “Noctiva”, which can be chemically called “desmopressin acetate”. This drug is manufactured by “Renaissance Lakewood, LLC” and “Serenity Pharmaceuticals, LLC”.

The drug is basically a nasal spray for adults who get up at least twice in a night to pass urine. Note that this is the first FDA-approved therapeutic drug for this condition.

It’s important for us to understand that this drug is not approved for all the causes of nocturia. So it’s the duty of the patients to consult with their physicians regarding their symptoms and causes. Your physicians are the best people to determine the underlying cause of nocturia and whether the drug is suitable for you.

Important tips for healthcare providers

Before prescribing Noctiva to patients for nocturia, health care providers are advised to assess the patient for the possible cause and optimize the treatment accordingly. Also, as the drug has been approved only for adult patients, the healthcare providers should first confirm the overproduction of urine during the night. This can be done through a 24-hour urine collection method. Also, the healthcare providers should be aware of the underlying conditions that could cause nocturia that could make treatment with the drug unsafe. For instance, the administration of Noctiva will be unsafe in the case of nocturia due to excessive consumption of fluids and congestive heart failure.

Dosage information

Noctiva should be taken daily by patients with nocturia. Typically, it should be taken about half an hour before going to sleep. This drug is known to act by increasing the absorption of water through your kidneys, thereby decreasing the production of urine.

Noctiva – Warnings

Noctiva is known to reduce the sodium levels in the blood, which leads to a condition called hyponatremia. Severe hyponatremia could be dangerous, and hence, the healthcare providers are advised not to prescribe the drug for the patients with an increased risk of hyponatremia. In patients with some risk of hyponatremia, a lower dose should be prescribed as the starting dose. As responsible healthcare providers, we should check the sodium levels in all patients within one week of starting treatment. In addition, periodic checks are also recommended.

The use of the drug should be halted for some time in patients with nasal conditions. If a patient is found to be having colds or allergies, then the drug should be stopped until the condition is completely resolved.

As this drug is approved for adults, it should not be prescribed for children. Finally, the drug is not recommended for use in pregnant women. Note that the condition of nocturia is naturally related to pregnancy and hence, does not require any treatment with drugs when you are pregnant.

In conclusion, now we have a drug for the treatment of nocturnal polyuria, which is affecting our sleep. Sleep is important for our body and mind to keep going. So, don’t let your urinary issues affect your sleep. Take care of your sleep!