None of the tests for ACTH deficiency are perfect, and further tests after a period of time may be needed if initial results are not conclusive.Symptoms of diabetes insipidus should prompt a formal fluid deprivation test to assess the bodys response to dehydration, which normally causes concentration of the urine and increasing osmolarity of the blood. If these parameters are unchanged, desmopressin (an ADH analogue) is administered. If the urine then becomes concentrated and the blood osmolarity falls, there is a lack of ADH due to lack of pituitary function ("cranial diabetes insipidus"). In contrast, there is no change if the kidneys are unresponsive to ADH due to a different problem ("nephrogenic diabetes insipidus"). Further investigations
If one of these tests shows a deficiency of hormones produced by the pituitary, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the pituitary is the first step in identifying an underlying cause. MRI may show various tumors and may assist in delineating other causes. Tumors smaller than 1 cm are referred to as microadenomas, and larger lesions are called macroadenomas. Computed tomography with radiocontrast may be used if MRI is not available. Formal visual field testing by perimetry is recommended, as this would show evidence of optic nerve compression by a tumor.Other tests that may assist in the diagnosis of hypopituitarism, especially if no tumor is found on the MRI scan, are ferritin (elevated in hemochromatosis), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels (often elevated in sarcoidosis), and human chorionic gonadotropin (often elevated in tumor of germ cell origin).
Kaopectate is an orally taken medication from  Arcadia Consumer Healthcare for the treatment of mild diarrhea. It is also sometimes used to treat indigestion, nausea, and stomach ulcers. The active ingredients have varied over time, and are different between the United States and Canada. The original active ingredients were kaolinite and pectin. In the US, the active ingredient is now bismuth subsalicylate (the same as in Pepto-Bismol). In Switzerland, attapulgite is used. Ingredients
The active ingredient in Kaopectate has changed since its original creation. Originally, kaolinite was used as the adsorbent and pectin as the emollient. Attapulgite (a type of absorbent clay) replaced the kaolinite in the 1980s, but was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a ruling made in April 2003. As a consequence, since 2004, bismuth subsalicylate has been used as the active ingredient in U.S. marketed products. In Canada, McNeil Consumer Healthcare continues to market Kaopectate using attapulgite as the active ingredient. However, Kaopectate was recalled in July 2021 in Canada because it may contain arsenic and lead beyond acceptable limits.As of 2020, the US rights to Kaopectate are owned by Arcadia Consumer Healthcare (formerly Kramer Laboratories). Other animals
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have a clear stance on the administration of Kaopectate products on animals such as dogs and cats suffering from diarrhea. However, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Journal news article noted in 2003 that the new salicylate formulation might be harmful to cats.