What are the indications for somatostatin injection?

Somatostatin injections are used to treat acromegaly in patients for whom surgery has been unsuccessful or who are unsuitable for surgery. A representative drug in this class is octreotide acetate. It is a first-generation somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) and is also used to manage symptoms such as diarrhoea and flushing caused by certain tumours. It is typically administered subcutaneously 2 to 4 times daily. Pasireotide is a second-generation SRL administered via intramuscular injection; however, evidence remains limited, and there is no clear benefit regarding surgical outcomes. Pegvisomant is administered via subcutaneous injection to normalise IGF-1 levels and improve the prognosis of metabolic conditions, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and arrhythmias.

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