Therapy

Why?

• Somatostatin or octreotide reduces rebleeding and the need for surgery in non-variceal bleeding ^a
• Somatostatin or octreotide reduces the need for transfusion (on average 2 fewer) and reduces the number of units of blood required (on average 1 fewer) in variceal bleeding. ^a
• There is no clear effect on control of initial haemostasis, rebleeding, need for balloon tamponade or mortality in variceal bleeding. ^a

Non-variceal bleeding: somatostatin or octreotide reduces rebleeding and the need for surgery

Patient	Treatment	Comparison	Outcome	CER	OR (95% CI)	NNT (95% CI)
non-variceal bleeding a	somatostatin or octreotide for 2 to 5 days	placebo or H2 antagonists	continued bleeding or rebleeding  hours	38%	0.53 (0.43 to 0.63)	6 (5 to 7)
			continued bleeding  hours	36%	0.44 (0.33 to 0.55)	5 (4 to 6)
			surgery  hours	28%	0.71 (0.61 to 0.81)	12 (9 to 19)