Long-Acting Octreotide Reduces Portal Pressure in Patients with Cirrhosis

Portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients can lead to serious complications, including variceal hemorrhage. Short-acting octreotide is effective for managing patients with acute variceal bleeding, but the potential role of long-acting octreotide in preventing variceal bleeding has not been studied well.

To evaluate the portal and hemodynamic effects of long-acting octreotide, researchers conducted a double-blind study among 18 consecutive patients with histologic evidence of cirrhosis at a single center in Switzerland. Patients were assigned randomly to receive either long-acting octreotide (20 mg) or placebo intramuscularly every 4 weeks for 3 months. The groups were similar at baseline for most factors, including diuretic and β-blocker use…