Octreotide acetate

Octreotide acetate is used in the treatment of acromegaly, carcinoid tumors, and bleeding esophageal varices. It is also used to prevent complications following surgery of the pancreas.

Octreotide acetate is generally given by a healthcare professional. You should not self-administer this medicine at home. Your doctor will decide the dose and how often you should take them. You should use it regularly to get the most benefit from the medicine. Do not stop using the medicine even if you feel better unless the doctor tells you so.

Using this medicine may cause few common side effects such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, flatulence, and headache. Let your doctor know if any of these side effects do not go away or get worse. Before using this medicine, inform your doctor if you have problems with your liver. You should also tell your doctor all the other medicines you are taking.

• Acromegaly
• Carcinoid tumours
• Bleeding esophageal varices

Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a condition that is caused by overproduction of growth hormone from the pituitary gland. Octreotide acetate helps to reduce the increased levels of growth hormone, restores them to normal and therefore prevents complication of acromegaly such as diabetes or heart diseases. It is given as an injection by a doctor or nurse and should not be self-administered.

Carcinoid tumours
Carcinoid tumors are slow growing abnormal masses that occur in several parts of the body, chiefly, intestine, pancreas, colon, rectum, lungs etc. These tumors occur due to oversecretion of certain hormones in our body. Octreotide acetate helps reduce these hormone levels to normal range and prevents further complications. Follow your doctor’s instructions to get maximum benefit.

Bleeding esophageal varices
Esophageal varices develop when normal blood flow to the liver is blocked by a clot or scar tissue in the liver. Octreotide acetate helps prevent abnormal growth of tissues that may cause these blockages and also helps control bleeding in such cases.

Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them

Common side effects of Octoven

• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Flatulence
• Headache
• Increased glucose level in blood
• Injection site reaction

Your doctor or nurse will give you this medicine. Kindly do not self administer.

Octreotide acetate is a similar to somatostatin, a substance normally found in the human body which inhibits the effects of certain hormones such as growth hormone. It also lowers the bleeding from the food pipe by constricting (narrowing) the blood vessels.

• Octreotide acetate helps treat acromegaly and certain hormone-producing tumors of stomach, liver, and pancreas.
• It is given as an injection under the skin or into a vein.
• It may temporarily cause pain at the site of injection. You can relieve this by gently rubbing the site of injection for a few seconds afterwards.
• When used long term, your doctor may monitor your thyroid function, gallbladder function, liver function and vitamin b12 levels regularly.
• Inform your doctor if you are taking medicines to control your blood pressure or if you are diabetic.
• Women who do not wish to conceive should practice an effective method for contraception while taking this medication.

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McQuaid KR. Drugs Used in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases. In: Katzung BG, Masters SB, Trevor AJ, editors. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. p. 1094.

Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. p. 1010.

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Octreotide acetate. East Hanover, New Jersey: Novartis Pharmaceuticals; 2012. [Accessed 04 Apr. 2019] (online) Available from: