Sandostatin (octreotide acetate) is an octapeptide used to treat acromegaly and bleeding variceal veins. Sandostatin is also used to reduce flushing episodes and watery diarrhea caused by cancerous tumors (carcinoid syndrome) or tumors called vasoactive intestinal peptide tumors (VIP adenomas). Sandostatin may be available in generic form.
Tell your doctor if you have unlikely but serious side effects of Sandostatin including:
signs of gallbladder or liver problems (e.g., fever, stomach or abdominal pain, severe nausea or vomiting, yellowing eyes/skin, unexplained pain in the back or right shoulder),
signs of underactive thyroid (e.g., unexplained weight gain, cold intolerance, slow heartbeat, severe constipation, unusual or extreme tiredness, growth/lump/swelling on the front of the neck),
worsening heart condition symptoms (e.g., trouble breathing, slow/fast/irregular heartbeat), or
numbness or tingling of the arms or legs.
Dosage for Sandostatin
Dosing of Sandostatin depends on the condition being treated and the response of the patient.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Sandostatin?
Sandostatin may restore the normal ability to become pregnant in females with acromegaly who have infertility. Females of childbearing age should discuss reliable forms of birth control with the doctor. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when prescribed. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our Sandostatin (octreotide acetate) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
Sandostatin Consumer Information
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
severe constipation;
slow or uneven heartbeats;
signs of gallstones--fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
low blood sugar--headache, hunger, sweating, irritability, dizziness, fast heart rate, and feeling anxious or shaky; 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.
Common side effects may include:
gallstones;
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, gas;
headache, back pain; or
dizziness, tiredness.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Gallbladder abnormalities, especially stones and/or
biliary sludge, frequently develop in patients on chronic Sandostatin® (octreotide
acetate) therapy (see WARNINGS).
Cardiac
In acromegalics, sinus bradycardia (< 50 bpm)
developed in 25%; conduction abnormalities occurred in 10% and arrhythmias
developed in 9% of patients during Sandostatin therapy (see PRECAUTIONS
- General).
Gastrointestinal
Diarrhea, loose stools, nausea and abdominal discomfort
were each seen in 34%-61% of acromegalic patients in U.S. studies although only
2.6% of the patients discontinued therapy due to these symptoms. These symptoms
were seen in 5%-10% of patients with other disorders.
The frequency of these symptoms was not dose-related, but
diarrhea and abdominal discomfort generally resolved more quickly in patients
treated with 300 mcg/day than in those treated with 750 mcg/day. Vomiting,
flatulence, abnormal stools, abdominal distention, and constipation were each
seen in less than 10% of patients.
In rare instances, gastrointestinal side effects may
resemble acute intestinal obstruction, with progressive abdominal distension,
severe epigastric pain, abdominal tenderness and guarding.
Hypo/Hyperglycemia
Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia occurred in 3% and 16% of
acromegalic patients, respectively, but only in about 1.5% of other patients.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia were noted in approximately 2% of patients.
Hypothyroidism
In acromegalics, biochemical hypothyroidism alone
occurred in 12% while goiter occurred in 6% during Sandostatin therapy (see PRECAUTIONS
- General). In patients without acromegaly, hypothyroidism has only been
reported in several isolated patients and goiter has not been reported.
Other Adverse Events
Pain on injection was reported in 7.7%, headache in 6%
and dizziness in 5%. Pancreatitis was also observed (see WARNINGS AND
PRECAUTIONS).
Other Adverse Events 1%-4%
Other events (relationship to drug not established), each
observed in 1%-4% of patients, included fatigue, weakness, pruritus, joint
pain, backache, urinary tract infection, cold symptoms, flu symptoms, injection
site hematoma, bruise, edema, flushing, blurred vision, pollakiuria, fat
malabsorption, hair loss, visual disturbance and depression.
Other Adverse Events < 1%
Events reported in less than 1% of patients and for which
relationship to drug is not established are listed: Gastrointestinal: hepatitis,
jaundice, increase in liver enzymes, GI bleeding, hemorrhoids, appendicitis,
gastric/peptic ulcer, gallbladder polyp;
Evaluation of 20 patients treated for at least 6 months
has failed to demonstrate titers of antibodies exceeding background levels.
However, antibody titers to Sandostatin were subsequently reported in three
patients and resulted in prolonged duration of drug action in two patients.
Anaphylactoid reactions, including anaphylactic shock, have been reported in
several patients receiving Sandostatin.
Postmarketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been identified
during the postapproval use of Sandostatin. Because these reactions are
reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always
possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal
relationship to drug exposure.
Hepatobiliary: cholelithiasis, cholecystitis,
cholangitis and pancreatitis, which have sometimes required cholecystectomy
&Copy; Sandostatin Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Sandostatin Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.
