Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis affects the pancreas’s job in digesting food and regulating blood sugar, and it could lead to severe complications if not managed.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis (inflammation in the pancreas) can heavily affect the pancreas and how it works. The pancreas helps in the digestion process by making digestive enzymes like amylase, and it regulates the blood sugar by making the insulin hormone.

Pancreatitis might be acute, which typically recovers in a few days but can cause serious complications in some cases, or chronic, which worsens over time and will lead to permanent damage in the pancreas.

Causes and risk factors leading to pancreatitis

The most common causes of pancreatitis are heavy alcohol consumption and gallstones, which might block the bile duct.

Other causes of pancreatitis:

• Injuries in the pancreas.
• Pancreatic cancer.
• Elevated triglycerides in the blood.
• Elevated blood calcium.
• Certain medicines.
• Inherited genes.
• A complication of cystic fibrosis.
• Decreased blood supply (ischemia).
• Diabetes, obesity, family history, and tobacco use can raise the risk of pancreatitis.

Symptoms of pancreatitis

Symptoms of acute pancreatitis:

• Pain in the upper abdomen.
• The pain might radiate to the back.
• Stomach upset.
• Fever.
• Fast heartbeat.
• Nausea and vomiting.

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis:

• Pain in the upper abdomen.
• After eating, the pain worsens.
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Fatty stools.

Pancreatitis might lead to kidney failure, malnutrition, diabetes, pseudocyst (fluid buildup in a pocket that causes bleeding and infection when bursting), increased susceptibility to infections, and pancreas cancer.

Diagnosis of pancreatitis

• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests.
• Stool tests.

Treatment of pancreatitis

• Treating pancreatitis in general depends on resting, having enough fluids, managing pain with medications, and changing the lifestyle.
• When needed, certain procedures can be applied, depending on the cause.