What is "tolvaptan"

n. A certain vaptan drug used to treat hyponatremia and potentially polycystic kidney disease.

Tolvaptan ( INN, trade names Samsca and Jinarc) is a selective, competitive vasopressin receptor 2 antagonist used to treat hyponatremia (low blood sodium levels) associated with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Tolvaptan was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 19, 2009, and is sold by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. under the trade name Samsca and in India is manufactured & sold by MSN laboratories Ltd. under the trade name Tolsama & Tolvat and by Lupin under the brand name Resodim.

Tolvaptan was also in fast-track clinical trials for polycystic kidney disease. In a 2004 trial, tolvaptan, when administered with traditional diuretics, was noted to increase excretion of excess fluids and improve blood sodium levels in patients with heart failure without producing side effects such as hypotension (low blood pressure) or hypokalemia (decreased blood levels of potassium) and without having an adverse effect on kidney function. In a recently published trial (TEMPO 3:4 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00428948) the study met its primary and secondary end points. Tolvaptan, when given at an average dose of 95 mg per day over a 3-year period, slowed the usual increase in kidney volume by 50% compared to placebo (2.80% per year versus 5.51% per year, respectively, p<0.001) and reduced the decline in kidney function when compared with that of placebo-treated patients by approximately 30% (reciprocal serum creatinine, -2.61 versus -3.81 (mg/mL)-1 per year, p <0.001)