Chlorpropamide-induced Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion

The Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion (SIADH) is a rare but serious complication of chlorpropamide therapy. In 2 elderly women who had diabetes mellitus, the SIADH developed two months after the chlorpropamide dosage had been increased to 500 mg daily. The syndrome disappeared after withdrawal of the drug. In one of these patients, re-administration of chlorpropamide resulted in recurrence of the SIADH. A review of the current literature disclosed certain common denominators, i.e., most of the patients are elderly women whose dosage of chlorpropamide was increased shortly before the development of the SIADH.