A Trial of Somatostatin With Endoscopic Variceal Ligation (EVL) in Control of Acute Variceal Bleeding

Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical diagnosis of portal hypertension * Having hematemesis and/or melena within 24 hour prior to admission * Source of bleeding should be esophageal varices Exclusion Criteria: * Non-cirrhotic cause of portal hypertension * Age \<12 or \>75 years * Hepatic encephalopathy grade 3 or 4 * Renal failure with serum creatinine \>2 mg/dL * Any evidence of bleeding from additional source apart from esophageal varices (like gastric varices, portal hypertensive gastropathy, erosions or ulcers including variceal ulcers) * Patients already on vasoactive drugs like somatostatin or terlipressin during the current episode of bleeding * Patients already received EVL or EST elsewhere during the current episode of bleeding prior to presenting to our hospital * Patients with history of surgery for portal hypertension or TIPS * Concomitant severe cardio-pulmonary disease * Concomitant malignancy * HVPG not possible within 24 hrs of presentation * Patients refusing to participate in the study.