4. • PANCREATITIS is a disease in which
your pancreas becomes inflamed.
• The pancreas is a large gland behind your stomach and
next to your small intestine. Your pancreas does two main
things:
• It releases powerful digestive enzymes into your small
intestine to help you digest food.
• It releases insulin and glucagon into your bloodstream.
These hormones help your body control how it uses food
for energy.
• Your pancreas can be damaged when digestive enzymes
begin working before your pancreas releases them.
5. TYPES OF PANCREATITIS
• The Two forms of pancreatitis are acute and chronic.
• Acute pancreatitis is sudden inflammation that lasts a short
time. It can range from mild discomfort to a severe, life-
threatening illness. Most people with acute pancreatitis recover
completely after getting the right treatment. In severe cases,
acute pancreatitis can cause bleeding, serious tissue damage,
infection, and cysts. Severe pancreatitis can also harm other
vital organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
• Chronic pancreatitis is long-lasting inflammation. It most often
often happens after an episode of acute pancreatitis. Another
top cause is drinking lots of alcohol for a long period of time.
Damage to your pancreas from heavy alcohol use may not
6. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• Symptoms of acute pancreatitis
• Fever
• Higher heart rate
• Nausea and vomiting
• Swollen and tender belly
• Pain in the upper part of your belly that goes into your back. Eating may make it
worse, especially foods high in fat.
• Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis
• The symptoms of chronic pancreatitis are similar to those of acute pancreatitis.
you may also have:
• Constant pain in your upper belly that radiates to your back. This pain may be
disabling.
• Diarrhea and weight loss because your pancreas isn’t releasing enough enzymes
break down food
• Upset stomach and vomiting
7. CAUSES
• Acute pancreatitis causes include:
• Autoimmune diseases
• Drinking lots of alcohol
• Infections
• Gallstones
• Medications
• Metabolic disorders
• Surgery
• Trauma
• In up to 15% of people with acute pancreatitis, the cause
8. • Chronic pancreatitis causes include:
• Cystic fibrosis
• Family history of pancreas disorders
• Gallstones
• High triglycerides
• Longtime alcohol use
• Medications
• In about 20% to 30% of cases, the cause of chronic pancreatitis
is unknown. People with chronic pancreatitis are usually men
between ages 30 and 40.
9. INVESTIGATION
• 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
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan to look for gallstones and assess
the extent of pancreas inflammation
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for abnormalities in the
gallbladder, pancreas and ducts
• Endoscopic ultrasound to look for inflammation and blockages in the
pancreatic duct or bile duct
• Stool tests in chronic pancreatitis to measure levels of fat that could
suggest your digestive system isn't absorbing nutrients adequately
10. MANAGEMENT
• acute pancreatitis
• If you have an attack of acute pancreatitis, you may receive
strong drugs for pain. You may have to have
your stomach drained with a tube placed through your nose. If
the attack is prolonged, you may be fed and hydrated
intravenously (through a vein).
• You’ll probably need to stay in the hospital, where your
treatment may include:
• Antibiotics if your pancreas is infected
• Intravenous (IV) fluids, given through a needle
• Low-fat diet or fasting. You might need to stop eating so your
pancreas can recover. In this case, you’ll get nutrition through
a feeding tube.
• Pain medicine
11. • chronic pancreatitis
• If you have chronic pancreatitis, the doctor will focus on treating
pain -- guarding against possible addiction to prescription
-- and watching for complications that affect digestion. You may
placed on a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy to restore the
digestive tract's ability to digest nutrients; this will also likely
the frequency of new attacks.
• You might need:
• Insulin to treat diabetes
• Pain medicine
• Pancreatic enzymes to help your body get enough nutrients from
your food
• Surgery or procedures to relieve pain, help with drainage, or treat
blockages
12. COMPLICATIONS
• Kidney failure. Acute pancreatitis may cause kidney failure, which
can be treated with dialysis if the kidney failure is severe and
persistent.
• Breathing problems. Acute pancreatitis can cause chemical
changes in your body that affect your lung function, causing the level
of oxygen in your blood to fall to dangerously low levels.
• Infection. Acute pancreatitis can make your pancreas vulnerable to
bacteria and infection. Pancreatic infections are serious and require
intensive treatment, such as surgery to remove the infected tissue.
• Pseudocyst. Acute pancreatitis can cause fluid and debris to collect
in cystlike pockets in your pancreas. A large pseudocyst that
ruptures can cause complications such as internal bleeding and
infection.
13. • Malnutrition. Both acute and chronic pancreatitis can cause your
pancreas to produce fewer of the enzymes that are needed to break
down and process nutrients from the food you eat. This can lead to
malnutrition, diarrhea and weight loss, even though you may be
eating the same foods or the same amount of food.
• Diabetes. Damage to insulin-producing cells in your pancreas from
chronic pancreatitis can lead to diabetes, a disease that affects the
way your body uses blood sugar.
• Pancreatic cancer. Long-standing inflammation in your pancreas
caused by chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for developing
pancreatic
14. An Example of a pancreatitis scenario
• Mr. Walker, a 50-year-old minister, presents with a history of a
sudden onset of acute upper central abdominal pain radiating to
his back. The pain began shortly after his morning meal and he
vomited several times, without relief of his pain.
