Understanding Acromegaly

What Causes Acromegaly?

Symptoms of Acromegaly

How is Acromegaly Diagnosed?

Treatment Options for Acromegaly

About Somatuline^® Depot

Patient Resources

Full Prescribing Information

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Symptoms of Acromegaly

As with most conditions, acromegaly has visible symptoms that are observable to the naked eye, and other symptoms that are not so apparent.

Visible symptoms of acromegaly include:

Enlarged hands
Enlarged feet
Widened fingers or toes due to skin overgrowth with swelling, redness, pain
Enlarged jaw (prognathism) and tongue
Enlarged facial bones
Thickening of the skin, skin tags
Enlarged sebaceous glands
Excessive sweating
Widely spaced teeth
Swelling of the bony areas around a joint
Weight gain (unintentional)
Hair, excessive on females

Acromegaly symptoms that are not so visible include:

Headache
Easy fatigue
Decreased muscle strength (weakness)
Limited joint mobility
Joint pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome

Over the course of time, acromegaly can cause a higher-than-normal risk of other conditions, some of which can be life-threatening:

Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes
Cancer
Sleep difficulties
Respiratory issues
Joint problems
Goiter
Excessive sweating

Acromegaly Diagnosis

Healthcare professionals diagnose acromegaly based on symptoms they can see and on tests to show them what they can't see. Read about the diagnosis of acromegaly.

Acromegaly Treatment options

Because it has been studied for so long, acromegaly is well understood and can be treated effectively using surgery, medication, and radiation. Read about the treatment options for acromegaly.

About Somatuline^® Depot (lanreotide) Injection

Somatuline Depot is an effective, safe, and generally well-tolerated treatment for acromegaly. It is designed with the patient in mind. Find out more about Somatuline Depot.

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 levels 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 60mg.

There are no adequate and well controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are no 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 co-administered drugs. Caution should be used.

The most common adverse reactions (incidence >5%) are diarrhea, cholelithiasis, abdominal pain, nausea, injection site reaction, flatulence, arthralgia, and loose stools.

Please see Full Prescribing Information for additional important information.

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