octreotide acetate at a glance
Medicine class
Somatostatin analogue
Main roles
Controls excessive hormone secretion and symptoms; prolonged-release products can also control selected neuroendocrine tumours.
Administration
Short-acting injection or infusion, or deep intramuscular prolonged-release injection.
What is octreotide acetate used for?
Selected products are licensed for these main uses:
Acromegaly when surgery is unsuitable or has not provided adequate control, or while awaiting the full effect of radiotherapy.
Symptoms from functional gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumours, including carcinoid syndrome.
TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas in specified circumstances.
Prolonged-release products: advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumours, or tumours of unknown primary origin after excluding other sites.
Short-acting injection: prevention of complications following pancreatic surgery.
Short-acting injection: emergency management of bleeding gastro-oesophageal varices in cirrhosis, alongside definitive treatment.
How does octreotide acetate work?
Octreotide binds to somatostatin receptors and suppresses growth hormone, TSH, and several gut and pancreatic hormones or peptides. It also reduces digestive secretions and blood flow in the abdominal circulation. This can improve hormone-driven symptoms, while prolonged-release treatment can slow growth of selected neuroendocrine tumours.
octreotide acetate preparations and strengths
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 50 micrograms/1 mL, 50 micrograms/mL, 100 micrograms/1 mL, 100 micrograms/mL, 200 micrograms/mL, 500 micrograms/1 mL, 500 micrograms/mL, 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg
How to take octreotide acetate
Use only by the route taught or arranged by the healthcare team. Short-acting solution may be injected under the skin or given intravenously by a healthcare professional. Prolonged-release powder must be prepared correctly and injected deeply into a buttock muscle by a trained professional.
People self-injecting under the skin need practical training and should rotate injection sites.
Allow refrigerated short-acting solution to reach room temperature naturally before injection; do not heat it.
Do not use short-acting solution if particles or an unusual colour are visible.
Avoiding meals around subcutaneous injection may reduce digestive side effects.
Prolonged-release products must not be given intravenously or under the skin.
octreotide acetate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation or wind
- Headache or dizziness
- Injection-site pain or reaction
- High or low blood glucose, or impaired glucose tolerance
- Gallstones or biliary sludge
- Thyroid-function changes
- Vomiting, bloating, indigestion, or fatty or loose stools
- Tiredness, weakness, reduced appetite, itching, rash or hair loss
- Slow heartbeat
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergic reaction, including breathing difficulty, swelling, faintness or collapse
- Gallbladder inflammation, bile-duct complications or jaundice
- Pancreatitis, typically causing sudden severe upper-abdominal pain
- Hepatitis or other significant liver injury
- Markedly abnormal blood glucose causing severe symptoms
- Serious slow, fast or irregular heartbeat
- Unexpected bleeding or bruising associated with reduced platelets
- Progressive abdominal swelling with severe pain or tenderness
octreotide acetate in pregnancy
Pregnancy experience is limited. Product information advises avoiding octreotide as a precaution unless a specialist considers treatment necessary. Successful acromegaly treatment may restore fertility, so discuss contraception and pregnancy plans with the treating team.
octreotide acetate while breastfeeding
It is unknown whether octreotide enters human breast milk, although it is excreted in animal milk. Product information advises not breastfeeding during treatment; discuss feeding options with the specialist team.
octreotide acetate interactions
Tell the prescribing team about all medicines and planned radiopharmaceutical treatments. Important examples include:
Insulin and other glucose-lowering medicines
Octreotide can raise or lower blood glucose, so monitoring and treatment review may be required.
Beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers and fluid or electrolyte treatments
Combined effects on heart rate, blood pressure or fluid balance may require closer monitoring and treatment adjustment.
Common questions about octreotide acetate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is octreotide acetate the same as somatostatin?
No. It is a synthetic somatostatin analogue designed to produce similar hormone-suppressing effects for longer.
Is octreotide acetate chemotherapy?
No. It is a hormone-regulating treatment. Selected prolonged-release products can also control growth of certain neuroendocrine tumours.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.