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Octreotide

An FDA-approved somatostatin analogue used to treat acromegaly, carcinoid tumors, and severe diarrhea.

StrongWell-Studied

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This information is for educational purposes. Peptide therapy should be guided by a licensed healthcare provider. Connect with a Noho clinician

What is Octreotide?

Octreotide is a synthetic octapeptide analogue of somatostatin with a much longer half-life (1.5 hours vs 2 minutes for native somatostatin). It is FDA-approved for acromegaly, carcinoid syndrome, and VIPomas. It suppresses growth hormone, insulin, glucagon, and various GI hormones.

Why People Talk About It

Acromegaly treatment (excess GH)

Strong

Carcinoid tumor symptom control

Strong

Severe diarrhea management

Strong

How It Works

Octreotide mimics somatostatin, the body's natural 'off switch' for many hormones. It tells the pituitary and gut to reduce hormone production, which is helpful when tumors are causing hormone overproduction.

Common Questions

Safety Information

Important Safety Notes

Common Side Effects

GI disturbances (diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain)Gallstone formation (long-term use)Injection site painHyperglycemia or hypoglycemia

Cautions

  • Regular gallbladder monitoring recommended
  • May affect glucose metabolism
  • Cardiac conduction changes possible
  • Drug interactions with cyclosporine and insulin

What We Don't Know

Well-characterized safety profile with decades of clinical use.

Published Research

32 studies

The influence of somatostatin analogues on the incidence of pancreatic fistulas and postoperative morbidity in patients undergoing pancreatic resection: A Bayesian network meta-analysis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 40971392

Octreotide versus oral dietary modification for the treatment of chylous fistula following neck dissection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 33342047

An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the use of octreotide for the prevention of postoperative complications after pancreatic resection

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 31567967

Octreotide for congenital and acquired chylothorax in newborns: A systematic review

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 29602276

Efficacy of the prophylactic use of octreotide for the prevention of complications after pancreatic resection: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 28723761

Octreotide therapy in meningiomas: in vitro study, clinical correlation, and literature review

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 27982767

Cost-effectiveness comparison of prophylactic octreotide and pasireotide for prevention of fistula after pancreatic surgery

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 27233242

68Ga-DOTATATE Compared with 111In-DTPA-Octreotide and Conventional Imaging for Pulmonary and Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 26769864

Efficacy of vasopressin/terlipressin and somatostatin/octreotide for the prevention of early variceal rebleeding after the initial control of bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 25788386

Role of octreotide in post chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy diarrhea: prophylaxis or therapy?

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 23297685

Primary renal carcinoid: treatment and prognosis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 23478151

Meta-analysis on the effects of octreotide on tumor mass in acromegaly

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 22574156

Meta-analysis: somatostatin or its long-acting analogue, octreotide, for prophylaxis against post-ERCP pancreatitis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 20373114

Octreotide for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 19536563

Meta-analysis: octreotide prevents post-ERCP pancreatitis, but only at sufficient doses

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 19302265

Prophylactic octreotide administration does not prevent post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 18815543

Use of octreotide for the prevention of pancreatic fistula after elective pancreatic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 18053374

Long-acting somatostatin analog therapy of acromegaly: a meta-analysis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 15886238

Octreotide for acute esophageal variceal bleeding: a meta-analysis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 11231948

Meta-analysis: efficacy of therapeutic regimens in ongoing variceal bleeding

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 11558026

[Randomized trial and meta-analysis of somatostatin versus placebo in bleeding esophageal varices]

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 8685994

Somatostatin and octreotide in the management of acute variceal hemorrhage

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 7672763

Somatostatin v placebo in bleeding oesophageal varices: randomised trial and meta-analysis

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 7787594

Octreotide in variceal bleeding

Meta-AnalysisPMID: 8206396

Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors treated with high dose octreotide-LAR: a systematic literature review

Systematic ReviewPMID: 25684964

A systematic literature review to evaluate extended dosing intervals in the pharmacological management of acromegaly

Systematic ReviewPMID: 36447058

Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of an Octreotide Depot (CAM2029) in the Treatment of Acromegaly

Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 40418492

Comparison of 24 vs 72-hr octreotide infusion in acute esophageal variceal hemorrhage - A multi-center, randomized clinical trial

Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 39241828

[(177)Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE plus long-acting octreotide versus high‑dose long-acting octreotide for the treatment of newly diagnosed, advanced grade 2-3, well-differentiated, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (NETTER-2): an open-label, randomised, phase 3 study

Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 38851203

Standard of Care Versus Octreotide in Angiodysplasia-Related Bleeding (the OCEAN Study): A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 38158089

Octreotide Subcutaneous Depot for Acromegaly: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Phase 3 Trial, ACROINNOVA 1

Clinical TrialPMID: 39378125

Safety and efficacy of long-term octreotide therapy of acromegaly: results of a multicenter trial in 103 patients--a clinical research center study

Clinical TrialPMID: 7673422

Always consult a qualified clinician

This information is for educational purposes. Peptide therapy should be guided by a licensed healthcare provider. Connect with a Noho clinician

Related Peptides

Quick Facts

Class
Somatostatin Analogue
Evidence
Strong
Safety
Well-Studied
Updated
Mar 2026
Citations
32PubMed

Also known as

SandostatinOctreotide LAR

Tags

FDA-ApprovedHormonalOncology

Evidence Score

Overall Confidence93%

Clinical Trials

View Clinical Trials

Links to ClinicalTrials.gov for reference. Listing does not imply endorsement.

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