octreotide at a glance
Medicine class
Somatostatin analogue
Use
Maintenance treatment for previously responsive and tolerant adults with acromegaly
Administration
Prolonged-release injection under the skin using a single-use pre-filled pen
Storage
Do not refrigerate; keep in the original packaging to protect from oxygen and light
What is octreotide used for?
The selected product is licensed for:
Maintenance treatment of acromegaly in adults who have responded to and tolerated somatostatin analogue treatment.
How does octreotide work?
Octreotide binds to somatostatin receptors and suppresses excessive growth-hormone release. In acromegaly, this lowers growth hormone and IGF-1 activity. It can also inhibit insulin, glucagon and several digestive-system hormones, affecting blood glucose and digestion.
octreotide preparations and strengths
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 20 mg
How to take octreotide
The selected formulation is injected into fatty tissue beneath the skin using its pre-filled pen. Use it only after training and follow the accompanying instructions.
Inject into the abdomen, thigh or buttock.
Rotate injection sites and avoid tender, bruised, scarred or damaged skin.
Use only if the liquid is clear and yellowish to yellow, without cloudiness or visible particles.
The pen is single use only. Do not inject it into a vein, muscle or the skin layer itself.
octreotide side effects
Common or expected effects
- Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, nausea or wind
- Headache or dizziness
- Injection-site pain, redness, swelling, itching or a lump
- High or low blood glucose
- Gallstones
- Thyroid-function changes
- Weakness, indigestion, vomiting or abdominal bloating
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergic reaction with airway swelling, breathing difficulty, faintness or collapse
- Sudden severe upper-abdominal pain suggesting pancreatitis or gallbladder inflammation
- Yellow skin or eyes, pale stools or dark urine suggesting liver or bile-flow problems
- Unusually slow, fast or irregular heartbeat
- Unexpected bleeding or easy bruising, which may indicate reduced platelets
octreotide in pregnancy
Pregnancy experience is limited, and the selected product should preferably be avoided as a precaution. Treatment can restore fertility in some people with acromegaly, so discuss pregnancy planning, contraception or suspected pregnancy promptly with the specialist team.
octreotide while breastfeeding
It is unknown whether octreotide enters human milk, and the selected product information says not to breastfeed during treatment. An independent review considers substantial infant exposure unlikely but confirms that direct evidence is limited; decisions need specialist assessment.
octreotide interactions
Tell the prescriber about all prescribed, non-prescribed and complementary products. Important examples include:
Insulin and other diabetes treatments
Octreotide can raise or lower blood glucose, so monitoring and treatment adjustment may be required.
Beta blockers and calcium-channel blockers
Combined effects may slow the heartbeat, requiring clinical review or adjustment.
Medicines affecting fluid or electrolyte balance
Cardiovascular effects may change, so treatment may need review.
Common questions about octreotide
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is octreotide used for in acromegaly?
It suppresses excessive growth-hormone release and helps maintain control of growth hormone, IGF-1 and associated symptoms.
Does octreotide remove the pituitary tumour causing acromegaly?
It primarily controls hormone secretion rather than removing the tumour. Continued tumour and visual-field monitoring remains important.
Can I inject octreotide myself?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.