Somatostatin
Pronunciation: so-mat-o-STAT-in.
- Generic name
- somatostatin
- Brand names
- Stilamin
- Drug class
- Natural regulatory peptide hormone
- Form
- Intravenous solution for injection and infusion
- Route
- Intravenous injection and infusion
Availability and supply rules vary by country
Trade names by country:
Australia: · Full directory
What somatostatin is and how it works
Somatostatin is a natural regulatory peptide hormone, used medically as a short-acting intravenous infusion for the symptomatic treatment of acute bleeding from esophageal varices. The information below is drawn from a Stilamin (somatostatin, Serono) product monograph as reproduced on a secondary source (rxmed.com), since no live primary regulatory-agency label for native somatostatin was found accessible in this research pass. This is a weaker sourcing tier than a directly verified regulatory label. (1)
Somatostatin is a continuous intravenous infusion administered in a hospital setting for a serious acute condition. It is not a self-administered medicine and has no role in home use. The approved use, availability, and legal status differ by country and may be limited; current marketing-authorisation status was not confirmed in this research pass.
Mechanism of action: how somatostatin works
Somatostatin is the natural regulatory peptide hormone, used as a short-acting intravenous infusion. It has a very short plasma half-life of 1.1 to 3 minutes, necessitating continuous uninterrupted infusion. Somatostatin has broad pharmacological effects on multiple hormone systems; it crosses the placental barrier. (1)
What somatostatin is used for
Acute bleeding from esophageal varices
Symptomatic treatment of acute bleeding from esophageal varices, administered as an initial intravenous bolus followed by a continuous intravenous infusion under hospital supervision. (1)
Before taking somatostatin
Do not take / not appropriate for
- Do not receive somatostatin if you have a known hypersensitivity to somatostatin, its excipients, or its diluents. (all products) (1)
- Somatostatin is contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation. It crosses the placental barrier and has broad pharmacological effects on multiple hormone systems. (all indications) (1)
Tell your clinician about
- If you have diabetes, particularly insulin-dependent diabetes, because somatostatin can cause transient changes in blood glucose and insulin requirements.
- If you have decreased renal function, because the half-life of somatostatin may be prolonged and close monitoring is needed.
- All prescription and non-prescription medicines you are taking, especially barbiturates, pentetrazole, and insulin.
- If you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
- If you have any known allergies or previous reactions to medicines.
How to take somatostatin
- Somatostatin is a hospital-only intravenous medicine. The treating team gives an initial IV bolus of 250 micrograms over 3-5 minutes, followed immediately by a continuous intravenous infusion of 250 micrograms per hour.
- The infusion continues until bleeding stops, typically for 12-24 hours. It may be continued for 48-72 hours after bleeding is controlled, up to a maximum total duration of 120 hours.
- Because somatostatin has a very short plasma half-life (1.1 to 3 minutes), the infusion must not be interrupted. If an interruption occurs, the team must give a repeat bolus dose before resuming the infusion.
- All preparation, administration, monitoring, and any dose adjustments are managed by the hospital clinical team. This is not a self-administered treatment. No home-use or self-injection scenario exists.
Procedures and treatment changes
Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1)
Missed dose
A missed-dose concept does not apply. Somatostatin is a continuous intravenous infusion administered in a hospital setting, not a self-administered or scheduled-dose product. Infusion continuity is managed by the treating clinical team.
Overdose
Overdose of somatostatin has been reported to cause bradycardia, hypotension, cramping, and vomiting. Management involves discontinuing the infusion and providing supportive care under hospital supervision. If an overdose is suspected, the clinical team will manage it urgently. (1)
Side effects
The most common adverse effects are reported in up to 4% of patients. All side effects are managed in the hospital setting during infusion.
Nausea and vomiting
What to notice: Feeling sick or being sick during the infusion.
What to do: Report immediately to the treating team; do not attempt to manage this yourself. (1)
Changes in blood glucose
What to notice: Transient hyperglycemia or, in insulin-dependent diabetic patients, a transient fall in blood glucose. Routine hospital monitoring will detect this.
What to do: Insulin-dependent diabetic patients require blood-glucose monitoring every 3-4 hours during treatment, as managed by the clinical team. (1)
Headache, fever, hypocalcemia, thrombocytopenia, ventricular extrasystoles
What to notice: These effects have been reported and are detected and managed through hospital monitoring.
What to do: The treating team will monitor for and manage these effects. (1)
Ventricular extrasystoles (abnormal heartbeat)
What to notice: A detailed symptom checklist was not established in the source reviewed for this page.
What to do: Alert the treating hospital team immediately for any awareness of an irregular heartbeat. (1)
Infusion continuity
What to notice: Specific patient-facing symptoms signaling an infusion interruption were not established in the source reviewed for this page; this is a pharmacokinetic continuity requirement managed by the clinical team, not a patient-recognizable symptom set.
What to do: The clinical team is responsible for ensuring infusion continuity and responding to any interruption. (1)
Serious warnings
Blood glucose changes in insulin-dependent diabetic patients — urgent
Symptoms: A detailed hypoglycemia symptom checklist was not established in the source reviewed for this page; the source supports that somatostatin can cause a transient fall in blood glucose.
Action: Insulin-dependent diabetic patients require blood-glucose monitoring every 3-4 hours during treatment. The hospital team manages any glucose changes urgently. (1)
Infusion interruption — urgent
Symptoms: Because the plasma half-life is 1.1 to 3 minutes, any interruption could rapidly reduce drug effect.
Action: The hospital team must avoid any interruption of the continuous infusion. If interrupted, a repeat bolus dose must be given before resuming the infusion. (1)
Interactions
| Medicine or test | Effect | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Barbiturates (e.g., hexobarbital) and pentetrazole | Somatostatin enhances the effects of these agents. | The prescribing team must review all concurrent medicines and manage any enhanced effects clinically. (1) |
| Insulin | Somatostatin may alter insulin requirements in diabetic patients, potentially causing transient changes in blood glucose. | Insulin-dependent diabetic patients require blood-glucose monitoring every 3-4 hours during treatment, with insulin doses adjusted by the clinical team as needed. (1) |
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age
Renal impairment
Patients with decreased renal function require close monitoring because somatostatin has a prolonged half-life in this population. The hospital team will determine any dose adjustments and the extent of monitoring. (1)
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Somatostatin is contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation. It crosses the placental barrier and has broad pharmacological effects on multiple hormone systems. If you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding, the clinical team must be told immediately. (1)
Children
Insufficient safety data exist for pediatric use. Somatostatin should only be used in children if the potential benefit is judged by the responsible specialist to outweigh the risk. (1)
Insulin-dependent diabetic patients
Somatostatin can cause a transient fall in blood glucose levels. Blood glucose must be monitored every 3-4 hours during treatment, and insulin requirements may change. The hospital team manages all glucose monitoring and insulin adjustments. (1)
Monitoring
Before starting
- Confirm the diagnosis of acute esophageal variceal bleeding and eligibility for somatostatin treatment.
- Assess for contraindications: known hypersensitivity to somatostatin or excipients; pregnancy or lactation.
- Evaluate renal function, as impaired renal function prolongs the drug's half-life and requires close monitoring.
- In insulin-dependent diabetic patients, establish baseline blood-glucose levels and an every-3-4-hour monitoring schedule.
- Review all concurrent medicines, particularly barbiturates, pentetrazole, and insulin.
During treatment
- Ensure the continuous intravenous infusion is not interrupted; the very short half-life (1.1 to 3 minutes) means any break requires a repeat bolus dose before resuming.
- In insulin-dependent diabetic patients, monitor blood glucose every 3-4 hours throughout the infusion.
- Monitor for adverse effects including nausea, vomiting, changes in blood glucose, headache, fever, hypocalcemia, thrombocytopenia, and ventricular extrasystoles.
- Continue the infusion until bleeding stops (typically 12-24 hours), with possible extension to 48-72 hours after bleeding control, up to a maximum of 120 hours total.
Storage
Somatostatin is a hospital-only intravenous product. Storage, preparation, and administration are managed entirely by the hospital pharmacy and clinical team according to the product's specific storage requirements. No patient or home-storage instructions apply.
Professional information
Clinician-facing context only. This information is derived from a secondary reproduction (rxmed.com) of a Stilamin (somatostatin, Serono) product monograph; no live primary regulatory-agency label (FDA DailyMed, EMA, MHRA) for native somatostatin was found accessible in this research pass. This is a weaker sourcing tier than a directly verified regulatory label. Use current local product information, hospital protocols, and clinical judgement. This page covers native/synthetic somatostatin only — do not apply content to the separate somatostatin analogs octreotide or lanreotide.
Stilamin monograph (secondary source)
Indication: Symptomatic treatment of acute bleeding from esophageal varices
Dose summary: Initial IV bolus of 250 micrograms given over 3-5 minutes, followed immediately by continuous IV infusion of 250 micrograms/hour. Infusion continues until bleeding stops (typically 12-24 hours); may be continued 48-72 hours after bleeding is controlled, up to a maximum total of 120 hours. Because the plasma half-life is 1.1 to 3 minutes, the infusion must not be interrupted; if interrupted, a repeat bolus dose is required before resuming the infusion.
Renal context: Patients with decreased renal function require close monitoring because of a prolonged half-life in this population. No specific dose-adjustment table is provided in the source reviewed. (1)
Hepatic guidance
No hepatic-impairment-specific dosing data was extracted in this research pass. Use clinical judgement and local product information.
Overdose note
Reported overdose symptoms include bradycardia, hypotension, cramping, and vomiting. Management consists of discontinuing the infusion and providing supportive care. (1)
Frequently asked questions
Is somatostatin the same as octreotide (Sandostatin) or lanreotide (Somatuline Depot)?
No. Somatostatin is the natural short-acting hormone given as a continuous intravenous infusion for acute esophageal variceal bleeding in a hospital setting. Octreotide and lanreotide are longer-acting synthetic somatostatin analogs that are separate, more widely marketed drugs with different dosing, indications, and safety profiles. Do not confuse them. (1)
Can somatostatin be self-administered at home?
No. Somatostatin is a continuous intravenous infusion that must be administered and monitored in a hospital setting. It has a half-life of only 1.1 to 3 minutes, requiring uninterrupted infusion and specialist clinical management. There is no home-use or self-injection scenario. (1)
Why is the research source for this page flagged as a weaker tier?
The information on this page is drawn from a secondary reproduction of a product monograph (rxmed.com). No live primary regulatory-agency label (such as FDA DailyMed, EMA, or MHRA) for native somatostatin was found accessible in the research pass used to create this content. This means the sourcing is not as strong as a directly verified regulatory label, and the information should be interpreted with that limitation in mind. (1)
What is the mechanism of action of somatostatin?
Somatostatin is the natural regulatory peptide hormone, used as a short-acting intravenous infusion. It has a very short plasma half-life of 1.1 to 3 minutes, necessitating continuous uninterrupted infusion. Somatostatin has broad pharmacological effects on multiple hormone systems; it crosses the placental barrier. (1)
What is the generic name of Somatostatin?
The generic name is somatostatin. It is sold under brand names including Stilamin. (1)
What class of drug is somatostatin?
Somatostatin is classed as: Natural regulatory peptide hormone. (1)
References
- Stilamin (somatostatin) product monographSerono (as reproduced on rxmed.com) · Canada · accessed 2026-08-05 · source 1
Brand names by country
Single-ingredient somatostatin names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.