Polydipsia causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Causes

Polydipsia is almost always associated with dehydration due to polyuria (excessive urination), if the condition is prolonged beyond a few hours in those with functioning kidneys.

It is often, and characteristically, found in diabetics, often as one of the initial symptoms, and in those who fail to take their anti-diabetic medications or whose dosages have become inadequate. It is also caused by other conditions featuring osmotic diuresis and by diabetes insipidus (“water diabetes”), and forms part of the differential diagnostic tree for them, as well. Polydipsia is also a symptom of atropine or belladonna poisoning. Another cause can be due to medication (such as diuretics) or inadvertent consumption of caffeine. One who drinks nothing but coffee or soda can be easily misdiagnosed by a medical professional as psychogenic polydipsia, as they may be unaware they are consuming diuretics.

Complete differential diagnosis of causes of polydipsia

(In alphabetical order)

Beer potomania
Cushing syndrome
Diabetes insipidus
- Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
  - Amyloidosis of the kidneys
  - Amikacin
  - Amphotericin B
  - Bardet-Biedl syndrome
  - Bartter syndrome
  - Cystinosis
  - Demeclocycline
  - Diabetes insipidus, congenital nephrogenic
  - [Fanconi syndrome]]
  - Gentamicin
  - Hypercalcaemia
  - Hypokalaemia
  - Interstitial nephritis
  - Kanamycin
  - Lithium
  - Loken Senior syndrome
  - Medullary cystic renal disease
  - Multiple myeloma
  - Netilmicin
  - Polycystic kidney disease, adult (autosomal dominant)
  - Proximal renal tubular acidosis
  - Pyelonephritis, acute
  - Renal failure, acute
  - Renal failure, chronic
  - Sicca syndrome
  - Sickle cell disease
  - Urinary tract infection
- Central diabetes insipidus
  - Arteriovenous malformations or aneurysms
  - Cranial surgery
  - Craniopharyngioma
  - Cysts
  - Cysticercosis, cerebral
  - DIDMOAD syndrome
  - Erdheim-Chester disease
  - Gestational diabetes insipidus
  - Head injury
  - Histiocytosis X
  - Hydrocephalus, obstructive
  - Hypoxic encephalopathy
  - Intracranial space-occupying lesion
  - Leukemia, acute
  - Meningioma
  - Meningoencephalitis
  - Meningitis
  - Metastatic brain disease
  - pineal tumors
  - Pituitary tumor
  - Post encephalitis status
  - Radiation therapy
  - Sarcoidosis
  - Sheehan syndrome
  - Sickle cell disease
  - Skull fracture
  - Syphilis
  - Tuberculosis
  - Tuberculoma of the hypothalamus
Diabetes mellitus type 1 or type 2
Hyperaldosteronism
Hyperglycemia
Hyperthyroidism
Maturity onset diabetes of the young
Medications especially diuretics. see also nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
- Bendrofluazide
- Bumetanide
- Conivaptan
- Furosemide
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Lithium
- Vasopressin
- atropine
- belladonna poisoning
- caffeine
Nephronophthisis
Osmotic diuresis
Primary hyperparathyroidism
Psychogenic polydipsia
Sicca Syndrome
Water intoxication

Complete differential diagnosis of the causes of polydipsia

(By organ system)

Cardiovascular	Arteriovenous malformations or aneurysms (vascular)
Chemical / poisoning	belladonna poisoning,
Dermatologic	No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect	Bendrofluazide, Bumetanide, Conivaptan, Frusemide,Hydrochlorothiazide, Lithium, Vasopressin, atropine, belladonna poisoning, caffeine, Amikacin, Amphotericin B,Demeclocycline, Gentamicin
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	Cushing syndrome, Primary hyperparathyroidism, Hyperglycemia Diabetes insipidus, Water intoxication, Hyperthyroidism, Maturity onset diabetes of the young, Diabetes mellitus, Antidiuretic Hormone
Environmental	No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic	No underlying causes
Genetic	Polycystic kidney disease(autosomal dominant), Congenital nephrogenicDiabetes insipidus, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Sickle cell disease, DIDMOAD syndrome, Fanconi syndrome
Hematologic	Sickle cell disease
Iatrogenic	Radiation therapy
Infectious Disease	meningoencephalitis, Syphilis, Tuberculosis, Meningitis, Cysticercosis (cerebral), Post encephalitis status, Tuberculoma of the hypothalamus
Musculoskeletal / Ortho	No underlying causes
Neurologic	Craniopharyngioma, Pineal tumors, Hypoxic encephalopathy, Pituitary tumour, Metastatic brain disease, Meningioma, Hydrocephalus (obstructive),
Nutritional / Metabolic	No underlying causes
Obstetric/Gynecologic	Gestational diabetes insipidus, Sheehan syndrome
Oncologic	pineal tumors, Craniopharyngioma, Histiocytosis X,Pituitary tumour, Leukemia(acute), Metastatic brain disease, Meningioma
Opthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose / Toxicity	Beer potomania, Water intoxication
Psychiatric	Psychogenic polydipsia, Beer potomania
Pulmonary	No underlying causes
Renal / Electrolyte	Bardet-Biedl syndrome,Bartter syndrome,Cystinosis, Congenital nephrogenicDiabetes insipidus, Hypercalcaemia, Hypokalaemia, Interstitial nephritis, Loken Senior syndrome, Medullary cystic renal disease, Polycystic kidney disease(autosomal dominant), Proximal renal tubular acidosis,Pyelonephritis,Renal failure, Urinary tract infection
Rheum / Immune / Allergy	Sarcoidosis, Amyloidosis
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Head trauma, Skull fracture
Urologic	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	Sarcoidosis, Histiocytosis X

References

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