DESMOPRESSIN ACETATE IN CARDIAC-SURGERY - A DOUBLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED STUDY

Use of desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) for patients having cardiac surger y is controversial. We did a double-blind, randomized study of 83 pati ents having cardiac operations at Georgetown University Hospital. The effect of DDAVP on bleeding as compared to placebo was evaluated by bl ood loss, replacement volume, and laboratory tests. There were no sign ificant differences in baseline and intraoperative data between the DD AVP (n = 4.0) and placebo (n = 43) groups. Total drainage for the firs t 24 postoperative hours was 1,214 mL (+/- 78) for the DDAVP group and 1,386 mL (+/- 116) for the placebo group (not significant). There wer e no significant differences in replacement therapy. In this study, ad ministration of DDAVP did not decrease bleeding.