What Causes Diabetes Insipidus?
The causes of central or neurogenic DI and nephrogenic DI are different.
Central or neurogenic DI
- Damage to the hypothalamus or pituitary gland
- Head trauma
- An infection, tumor or growth near the hypothalamus or pituitary gland
- Surgery near the hypothalamus or pituitary gland
- Poor development of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland before birth
- Randomly and for no explained reason. We call this idiopathic DI, which means we don’t know the cause or reason of the central or neurogenic DI.
Nephrogenic DI
- Genetic problems in which the kidney doesn’t properly respond to vasopressin or other parts of the kidney’s water-saving machinery
- Medications, such as lithium and demeclocycline (an antibiotic)
- Urinary tract infections (UTI)
- Imbalance of certain blood chemicals, like calcium and potassium
- Damage to the kidney tubules (tubes inside the kidneys that transfer water and salt into urine)
Learn More
- About Diabetes Insipidus
- Symptoms of Diabetes Insipidus
- Treatment for Diabetes Insipidus
- When to Call the Doctor