Oesophageal varices
Drug Safety Update
March 2023: Terlipressin: new recommendations to reduce risks of respiratory failure and septic shock in patients with type 1 hepatorenal syndrome
Please note: the above advice is not relevant to use of terlipressin for bleeding oesophageal varices
NICE Guidance (also see drug-specific NICE link below)
CG141: Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in over 16s: management, June 2012 (updated August 2016)
Terlipressin is used for bleeding from oesophageal varices; it is licensed to be given for up to 72 hours. However, the NICE treatment pathway for managing variceal bleeding states "offer terlipressin to patients with suspected variceal bleeding at presentation. Stop treatment after definitive haemostasis has been achieved, or after 5 days, unless there is another indication for its use."
