Objective To investigate the effects of somatostatin on portal venous pressure (PVP) and splanchnic hemodynamics in cirrhotic portal hypertensive patients Methods Totally, 20 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension were included in this study All patients had the history of hepatitis B and HBsAg(+), and were diagnosed as post necrotic cirrhosis pathologically We measured the maximum blood flow rate of portal vein and hepatic vein before and after the continuous infusion of somatostatin using the color Doppler ultrasonography The blood flow was calculated according to the formula Q=60 π r 2V[ Q: blood flow (ml/min), π r 2: the sectional area (cm 2) and V: the mean maximum blood rate (cm/sec)] Of 15 patients who had undergone right gastro epiploic venous catheterization, changes of the PVP were observed via a catheter in right gatro epiploic vein before and after the administration of somatostatin Results The PVP decreased from 20 8±2 0 ?mm?Hg to 18 2±2 0 ?mm?Hg and 18 0±2 0 ?mm?Hg one hour and 1 5 hour after infusion, respectively, with significant difference ( P <0 01) At the same time, there was no significant change in the arterial systolic and diastolic pressure as well as heart rate The sectional area of portal vein decreased by 7 28% after infusion of somatostatin, but the change was not significant ( P <0 05) The maximum blood flow rate of portal vein decreased from 19 72±7 75?cm/sec to 15 98±7 26?cm/sec significantly by 18 96% ( P <0 01), and the mean total blood flow of portal vein decreased from 1643 21±577 25?ml/min to 1319 49±622 39?ml/min with significant difference ( P <0 01) The mean total blood flow of three hepatic vein increased from 1786 22±926 37?ml/min to 1836 17±844 24?ml/min after the infusion of somatostatin, but the difference was of no significance( P >0 05) Conclusions Our study suggests that the continuous infusion of somatostatin could decrease PVP in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension The mechanism might be the decrease of blood flow due to the decrease of blood rate Somatostatin is not able to constrict portal vein directly Objective To investigate the effects of somatostatin on portal venous pressure (PVP) and splanchnic hemodynamics in cirrhotic portal hypertensive patients Methods Totally, 20 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension were included in this study All patients had the history of hepatitis B and HBsAg (+), and were diagnosed as post necrotic cirrhosis pathologically We measured the maximum blood flow rate of portal vein and hepatic vein before and after the continuous infusion of somatostatin using the color Doppler ultrasonography The blood flow was calculated according to the formula Q = 60 π r 2V [ Q: blood flow (ml / min), π r 2: the sectional area (cm 2) and V: the mean maximum blood rate (cm / sec)] Of 15 patients who had undergone right gastro epiploic venous catheterization, changes of the PVP were observed via a catheter in right gatro epiploic vein before and after the administration of somatostatin Results The PVP decreased from 20 8 ± 2 0? Mm? Hg to 18 2 ± 2 0? mm? Hg and 18 0 ± 2 0? mm? Hg one hour and 1 5 hour after infusion, respectively, with significant difference (P & lt; 0.01) At the same time, there was no significant change in the arterial systolic and diastolic pressure as well as heart rate of the sectional area of ​​portal vein decreased by 7 28% after infusion of somatostatin, but the change was not significant (P <0 05) The maximum blood flow rate of portal vein decreased from 19 72 ± 7 75? Cm / sec to 15 98 ± 7 26? Cm / sec significantly by 18 96% (P <0.01), and the mean total blood flow of portal vein decreased from 1643 21 ± 577 25? Ml / min to 1319 49 ± 622 39? ml / min with significant difference (P <0.01) The mean total blood flow of three hepatic vein increased from 1786 22 ± 926 37? ml / min to 1836 17 ± 844 24? ml / min after the infusion of somatostatin, but the difference was no significance (P> 0 05) Conclusions Our study suggests that the continuous infusion of somatostatin c ould decrease PVP in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension The mechanism might be the decreased of blood flow due to the decrease of blood rate Somatostatin is not able to constrict portal vein directly