Water Intoxication Due to Oxytocin

Abstract

SINCE its introduction into clinical medicine over fifteen years ago the purified posterior pituitary extract known as oxytocin has found wide application in obstetric patients because of its stimulating action on the smooth muscle of the gravid uterus. The dangers that have been emphasized in the indiscriminate use of the hormone are for the most part related to this primary action on the myometrium.^{1 , 2} However, because of the close similarity in chemical structure between oxytocin and the antidiuretic hormone, vasopressin, problems arising from abnormal fluid retention might be anticipated. Indeed, it is surprising that water intoxication does not appear to . . .