Endocrine drugs: octreotide adverse effects: practice question

A Pharmacology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pharmacology · Endocrine drugs: octreotide adverse effects

Sample item

A man with acromegaly has been on long-acting octreotide for two years. He now has intermittent right upper quadrant pain after meals, and ultrasound shows echogenic foci with shadowing in the gallbladder. What explains this?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Reduced gallbladder motility from octreotide causing gallstones

Somatostatin analogues inhibit cholecystokinin release and gallbladder contraction, causing bile stasis and gallstones in a large proportion of long-term users. They can also cause steatorrhoea, bradycardia and glucose changes.

Option by option

  • A. Growth hormone excess causing stone dissolution

    Growth hormone excess does not dissolve stones, and the drug is the likely cause.

  • B. Increased bile salt secretion leading to cholesterol dissolution

    Octreotide lowers bile flow and does not increase bile salt secretion.

  • C. Reduced gallbladder motility from octreotide causing gallstones (correct)

    Correct. Octreotide reduces gallbladder emptying and promotes stone formation.

  • D. Direct hepatotoxicity causing biliary sludge only in the liver

    The change is in the gallbladder, not a primary hepatic injury.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Pharmacology question

What is the answer to this Pharmacology question?

The best answer is C, Reduced gallbladder motility from octreotide causing gallstones. Somatostatin analogues inhibit cholecystokinin release and gallbladder contraction, causing bile stasis and gallstones in a large proportion of long-term users.

Why is "Growth hormone excess causing stone dissolution" not the answer?

Growth hormone excess does not dissolve stones, and the drug is the likely cause.

Why is "Increased bile salt secretion leading to cholesterol dissolution" not the answer?

Octreotide lowers bile flow and does not increase bile salt secretion.

Why is "Direct hepatotoxicity causing biliary sludge only in the liver" not the answer?

The change is in the gallbladder, not a primary hepatic injury.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Endocrine drugs: octreotide adverse effects in Pharmacology. They can also cause steatorrhoea, bradycardia and glucose changes.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Endocrine drugs: octreotide adverse effects?

Learn drugs as classes, then the exception in each class that an examiner would pick. Then use the flashcards and the other Pharmacology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.