The most common causes of acute pancreatitis include gallstones, alcohol use, and hypertriglyceridemia.
The most common cause of acute pancreatitis is having gallstones. Gallstones cause inflammation of your pancreas as stones pass through and get stuck in a bile or pancreatic duct.
Key points about pancreatitis
It may be sudden (acute) or ongoing (chronic). The most common causes are alcohol abuse and lumps of solid material (gallstones) in the gallbladder.
Pancreatic Diseases
These include: Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas: This happens when digestive enzymes start digesting the pancreas itself. Pancreatic cancer. Cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder in which thick, sticky mucus can also block tubes in your pancreas.
Upper abdominal pain. Abdominal pain that radiates to your back. Tenderness when touching the abdomen. Fever.
About 4 out of 5 cases of acute pancreatitis improve quickly and don't cause any serious further problems. However, 1 in 5 cases are severe and can result in life-threatening complications, such as multiple organ failure. In severe cases where complications develop, there's a high risk of the condition being fatal.
The most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is drinking a lot of alcohol over a long period of time.. Other causes include: An attack of acute pancreatitis that damages your pancreatic ducts. A blockage of the main pancreatic duct caused by cancer.
There is no cure for chronic pancreatitis, but the related pain and symptoms may be managed or even prevented. Since chronic pancreatitis is most often caused by drinking, abstinence from alcohol is often one way to ease the pain.
Emotional stress can excite the vagus nerve (connects the brain with the stomach) and causes the stomach to be stimulated to produce excessive amounts of acid. As noted, this increase in acid stimulates an increase in pancreatic secretion production. This can exacerbate pancreatitis once it has been established.
The most common symptoms of acute pancreatitis include: suddenly getting severe pain in the centre of your tummy (abdomen) feeling or being sick. a high temperature of 38C or more (fever)
Tests and procedures used to diagnose pancreatitis include: Blood tests to look for elevated levels of pancreatic enzymes, along with white blood cells, kidney function and liver enzymes. Abdominal ultrasound to look for gallstones and pancreas inflammation.
It is usually caused by gallstones blocking the opening of the pancreas or by drinking too much alcohol. In 80% of people with acute pancreatitis, the inflammation either clears up completely or improves a lot within one to two weeks.
In some cases, additional medicine – called amitriptyline, gabapentin or pregabalin – may be recommended to help relieve the pain. If this isn't effective, severe pain can sometimes be relieved for a few weeks or months using an injection called a nerve block. This blocks the pain signals from the pancreas.
Nausea and vomiting. Weakness or extreme tiredness. Loss of appetite or feelings of fullness.
Mild acute pancreatitis usually goes away in a few days with rest and treatment. If your pancreatitis is more severe, your treatment may also include: Surgery. Your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the gallbladder, called cholecystectomy, if gallstones cause your pancreatitis.
Chronic pancreatitis can have serious and long-lasting effects. But with lifestyle changes and effective treatments, patients with this condition can reduce their pain and live a more normal life.
Whether mild, moderate, or severe, acute pancreatitis usually requires hospitalization.
Pancreas blood tests can detect problems with your pancreas. They can be used to diagnose acute pancreatitis and other conditions.
Viral Pancreatitis
In rare cases, pancreatitis may be caused by viral infections such as mumps, coxsackie B, mycoplasma pneumonia, and campylobacter.
Various infectious microorganisms may cause infectious pancreatitis, and these include viruses (hepatotropic virus, Coxsackie virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), mumps, varicella-zoster virus, and other viruses); bacteria (mycoplasma, legionella, salmonella, and ...
Lipase is the preferred laboratory test for diagnosing acute pancreatitis, as it is the most sensitive and specific marker for pancreatic cell damage.