Vasopressin and glypressin in upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Vasopressin has been in clinical use for more than two decades in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, especially bleeding oesophageal varices. However the haemostatic effect in controlled clinical trials is far from impressive, and no double-blind placebo controlled trial has shown even a trend in favour of vasopressin. These studies, the effects, side-effects, and clinical use of vasopressin and its long-acting analogue triglycylvasopressin, glypressin, are reviewed.