Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) Test: What Is It?
The antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is a hormone produced by the kidneys which helps regulate water balance in your body. ADH regulates fluid retention and urine output. When there are too many salts or minerals in your blood, such as excess sodium or potassium, the kidneys produce extra amounts of diuresis to remove these substances from your system. Diuresis is a natural process that occurs when you urinate. However, if the amount of salt or mineral in your blood exceeds what your kidneys can remove, then it will cause excessive loss of fluids through urine production. If this happens frequently enough, the body may suffer from hyponatremia (low levels of sodium in the blood). Hyponatremia causes symptoms like confusion, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.
Diabetes mellitus is a disease where the pancreas does not make enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps control blood sugar levels. Without sufficient insulin, blood glucose levels rise and can lead to high blood pressure, kidney failure and other complications.
People with type 2 diabetes have higher rates of cardiovascular disease than those without diabetes.
Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a disorder that causes the body to lose control over its ability to regulate fluids. People with this condition may have to urinate excessively or become dehydrated because the body cannot retain sodium. In some cases, DI may cause the body to retain too much water, leading to puffiness in the face and hands, extreme thirst, low blood pressure and confusion.
The adh test quest may be necessary if you:
Are experiencing hyponatremia (low levels of sodium in your blood)
Have kidney failure
Have a history of abnormal sodium levels in the blood
Have symptoms of water intoxication or have a history of it and must find out what is causing it.
Are taking certain prescription drugs that can cause dehydration, such as thiazides or benzodiazepines.
Have a history of urinary tract infection
Have Addison’s disease, which is a condition caused by low levels of sodium and potassium in your blood
Have Cushing’s syndrome, a condition that causes your body to retain sodium
The adh test quest may not be necessary if you:
Do not have any of the above conditions or risk factors
Why Should I Get the Adh Test Quest?
The adh test quest is used to determine whether or not you have diabetes insipidus or another condition that has caused you to lose control over your body’s fluid regulation. The test can also help physicians determine if you need medicine to help increase the amount of fluid your kidneys are eliminating in your urine.
The adh test quest is a urine test that measures the amount of antidiuretic hormone in your urine. It can help determine whether or not you have a disease or condition that is causing your body to lose control over its ability to hold on to fluids.
During the adh test quest, a sample of your urine is taken and tested for the amount of antidiuretic hormone, referred to as ADH. The test can be done in an outpatient setting — usually a physician’s office or a clinic — and doesnt require an overnight stay at a medical facility.
The test itself takes only a few minutes and is relatively simple. A health care provider will instruct you to provide a urine sample. The sample is sent to a lab for testing, usually the same day you provide it, and you usually get the results within a couple days.
The adh test quest can help determine hyponatremia, which refers to low levels of sodium in your blood plasma. There are several possible causes for this condition, including drinking too much water. Severe cases of hyponatremia can be fatal.
The adh test quest is necessary to determine the presence and severity of hyponatremia.
The adh test quest may also rule out other conditions, such as a malfunctioning pituitary gland, that could be causing your body to retain fluid.
How Should I Prepare for the Adh Test Quest?
There is no special preparation for the adh test quest. Be sure to tell your physician about any medications you are taking, as these can affect the test results.
How Is the Adh Test Quest Administered?
A sample of urine is needed to perform the adh test quest. The urine sample is usually collected by you in a container provided by your physician or at the medical facility.
The urine sample is then sent to a lab, where it is tested. You will usually get the results of the test within a few days.
What Are the Risks of the Adh Test Quest?
The adh test quest itself carries no known risks. There may be some discomfort when providing a urine sample, but this shouldnt last long and shouldnt be severe.
What Are the Possible Complications of the Adh Test Quest?
There are no potential complications from the adh test quest itself. However, if you have a condition other than diabetes insipidus causing your body to retain water, the adh test quest may not help determine the cause. In this case, you may need to be referred to a physician who can perform further tests.
How the Results of the Adh Test Quest Helpful?
If the test shows that you do not have diabetes insipidus, then the cause of your body retaining fluid is most likely something other than diabetes insipidus. In this case, you may need to be referred to a physician who can perform further testing to determine what the cause is.
If the test shows that you do have diabetes insipidus, you can undergo treatment. This involves taking medications that replace the missing antidiuretic hormone, or in severe cases, cutting out the part of the brain where the disease originates.
Home remedies such as restricting your fluid intake are not recommended, as these can put you at risk of developing life-threatening complications.
If you have any concerns about the adh test quest, speak with a medical professional.
Last updated: February 21st, 2015
Next Scheduled Update: TBA
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Sources & references used in this article:
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and endolymphatic hydrops by T Takeda, A Kakigi, H Saito – Acta oto-laryngologica, 1995 – Taylor & Francis
Antidiuretic hormone and psychosomatic aspects in Menière’s disease. by S Sawada, T Takeda, H Saito – Acta oto-laryngologica …, 1997 – europepmc.org
Demeclocycline treatment in the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion by DA CHERRILL, RM STOTE, JR BIRGE… – Annals of internal …, 1975 – acpjournals.org
Antidiuretic hormone in congestive heart failure by GAJ Riegger, G Liebau, K Kochsiek – The American journal of medicine, 1982 – Elsevier
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The Effect of Ca and Antidiuretic Hormone on Na Transport across Frog Skin: I. Examination of interrelationships between Ca and hormone by FC Herrera, PF Curran – The Journal of general physiology, 1963 – rupress.org
Dissimilarities between the central control of thirst and the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) by B Andersson, K Olsson… – Acta Physiologica …, 1967 – Wiley Online Library
Elevation of Plasma A trial Natriuretic Peptide in a Neurosurgical Patient with the Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone by N YAMAMOTO, A KUWAYAMA… – Neurologia medico …, 1989 – jstage.jst.go.jp
Evidence for a role of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in the antidiuretic action of chlorpropamide by B LIBERMAN, R BORGES… – The Journal of …, 1973 – academic.oup.com