[Somatostatin in the treatment of acute haemorrhage from a duodenal ulcer (author's transl)].

A massive haemorrhage from a duodenal ulcer verified on endoscopy in a 21 year-old patient was stopped by a 62--hour infusion of somatostatin at a dosage of 250 microgram/hour. Suppression of gastric secretion is probably more important than the reduction in splanchnic blood flow with regard to the mechanism of action of this drug. No side effects were observed.