Potential indications for octreotide in gastroenterology: summary of workshop.

The potential therapeutic applications of somatostatin and octreotide in gastroenterology involve gut neuro-endocrine tumours, bleeding varices, bleeding peptic ulcers, gastro-intestinal fistulae, pancreatic fistulae, dumping syndrome, pancreatic pseudocysts, short bowel syndrome, acute pancreatitis, AIDS-related diarrhoea, intestinal subacute obstruction, idiopathic 'diarrhoea', irritable bowel syndrome and GIT tumours. Octreotide has a longer duration of action than somatostatin and can be administered by subcutaneous injection, thus making it suitable for long-term administration. Many of the potential gastro-intestinal indications require long-term administration and thus octreotide would be the agent of choice.