Possible side effects
Like all other medications, Somatuline® Depot (lanreotide) Injection can cause side effects.
The most common side effects of Somatuline® Depot (lanreotide) Injection are stomach and intestinal problems, but remember that these side effects tend to diminish as treatment continues. Sometimes, skin reactions, such as pain, itching, or a lump may occur at the injection site. Gallbladder problems can also occur, so tell your doctor if you experience pain in the right upper area of your abdomen along with nausea and vomiting. These could be symptoms of gallstones, a more serious condition. Your doctor may need to monitor your gallbladder while you are taking Somatuline® Depot (lanreotide) Injection.
Other side effects include a low heart rate, high blood pressure, and new or worse heart valve problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have a history of these conditions. Somatuline Depot can cause changes in blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, carefully follow your doctor's instructions for monitoring your blood sugar levels.
It's good to keep in mind that, in clinical trials, only 1.9% of all participants left the study because of treatment-related side effects. Somatostatin analogs as a class of drugs are well tolerated, and so is Somatuline® Depot (lanreotide) Injection.
Indication and Important Safety Information
Somatuline® Depot (lanreotide) Injection is a somatostatin analog indicated for the long-term treatment of patients with acromegaly who have had an inadequate response to or cannot be treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy.
Lanreotide may reduce gallbladder motility and lead to gallstone formation. Periodic monitoring may be needed. Patients treated with Somatuline Depot may experience hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Glucose level monitoring is recommended and antidiabetic treatment adjusted accordingly. Lanreotide may lead to a decrease in heart rate. Use with caution in at-risk patients.
Patients with moderate and severe renal impairment or moderate and severe hepatic impairment should begin treatment with Somatuline Depot 60 mg.
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human responses, Somatuline Depot should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies risk to the fetus.
A decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
Somatuline Depot may decrease the bioavailability of cyclosporine. Cyclosporine dose may need to be adjusted to maintain levels.
Patients receiving beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, or other drugs that affect heart rate may need dose adjustments. Somatuline Depot may reduce the intestinal absorption of coadministered drugs. Caution should be used.
The most common adverse reactions (incidence >5%) are diarrhea (37%), cholelithiasis (20%), abdominal pain (19%), nausea (11%), injection-site reaction (9%), flatulence (7%), arthralgia (7%), and loose stools (6%).
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