Patients suspected of acute variceal bleeding were administered with vasoconstrictors, either terlipressin (Glypressin, Ferring GmbH, Kiel, Germany) or somatostatin (Somatosan, BAG Health Care GmbH, Lich, Germany) and continued at the first time. After having been pre-medicated with hyoscine-N-butylbromide intramuscularly (20 mg), eligible patients underwent emergent endoscopy (index endoscopy) within 12 hours on admission. Two experienced endoscopists performed emergent EVL for the enrolled patients with acute EVB, who had performed EVL for more than 9 years. Pneumoactive ligation device (Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) and endoscopes (GIF XQ260; Olympus Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) were applied. The targeted varix was suctioned and entrapped by a cap on endoscope. Ligation was aimed at active bleeding sites, red color spots or white nipple signs during the procedure. One to two rubber bands were applied to ligate the targeted varix. Patients were routinely placed on liquid diet in the following 3 days and subsequently shifted to semisolids and solids. Somatostatin was given by intravenous bolus (250 μg) followed by 250 μg/hour and continued for 3 days in group S. Terlipressin was started at 2mg bolus injection and followed by 1 mg infusion every 6 hours for 3 days in group T.