Details

Octreotide is a man-made protein that is similar to a hormone in the body called somatostatin. Octreotide lowers many substances in the body such as insulin and glucagon (involved in regulating blood sugar), growth hormone, and chemicals that affect digestion. Octreotide is used to treat acromegaly. Octreotide is also used to reduce flushing episodes and watery diarrhoea caused by cancerous tumours (carcinoid syndrome) or tumours called vasoactive intestinal peptide tumours (VIP adenomas). To make sure you can safely use octreotide, tell your doctor if you have diabetes gallbladder disease heart disease, high blood pressure, or heart rhythm disorder thyroid problems pancreatitis liver disease or kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis).

Typical Uses

Octreotide is used to treat severe watery diarrhoea and sudden reddening of the face and neck caused by certain types of tumours (e.g., carcinoid tumours, vasoactive intestinal peptide tumours) that are found usually in the intestines and pancreas. The symptoms occur when these tumours make too much of certain natural substances (hormones). This medication works by blocking the production of these hormones. By decreasing watery diarrhoea, octreotide helps to reduce the loss of body fluids and minerals. Octreotide is also used to treat a certain condition (acromegaly) that occurs when the body makes too much of a certain natural substance called growth hormone. Treating acromegaly helps reduce the risk of serious problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Octreotide works by decreasing the amount of growth hormone to normal levels.

Side Effects

Common octreotide side effects may include severe stomach pain or tenderness, severe constipation slow or uneven heartbeats severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate high blood sugar-increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odour, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision, weight loss low blood sugar-headache, hunger, weakness, sweating, confusion, irritability, dizziness, fast heart rate, or feeling jittery or underactive thyroid-extreme tired feeling, dry skin, joint pain or stiffness, muscle pain or weakness, hoarse voice, feeling more sensitive to cold temperatures, weight gain.

Drug Interactions

• Octreotide+bexarotene- Using bexarotene together with octreotide may increase the risk of pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring by your doctor to safely use both medications.

Mechanism of action

Octreotide belongs to class of medications called somatostatin analogue. Octreotide inhibits pathologically increased secretion of some natural chemicals in the body such as growth hormone, peptides and serotonin produced within the gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine (GEP) system.

Pregnancy Category : B