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What is Pancreatitis? |
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Symptoms
Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease which occurs when digestive enzymes within the pancreas attack the gland as if it was hostile. The condition may be acute, surfacing abruptly and lasting for several days, or its development may be gradual and persistent over time (chronic). Acute pancreatitis is indicated by a slight to severe pain in the upper stomach, one which may move on to the back or chest. The sensation can be consistent for hours or even days on end, and it worsens whenever the patient takes meals or drinks alcohol; this may be accompanied by a quick pulse, fevers, stomach inflammation and tenderness, and in extreme cases, shock, dehydration, internal bleeding, and an abnormally-low blood pressure. Chronic pancreatitis carries the same symptoms, apart from weight loss, oily stools, and diabetes.
Causes
Prolonged alcohol abuse is the number one cause of both types of pancreatitis. Gallstones also contribute to the acute form of the condition, as these obstruct the pancreatic duct and cause bile imbalance. In addition to these, there are also other secondary causes for the condition, including increased amounts of triglycerides and calcium in the bloodstream; medications such as corticosteroids, drugs for reducing blood pressure, antibiotics like tetracyclines or sulfonamides, immunosuppressants like azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine, and anti-inflammatory medicines; abdominal surgery; physical aberrations on the pancreas; trauma which can push the gland against the spine; bacterial and viral infections; pancreatic cancer; congenital diseases like cystic fibrosis; and genetic mutations which lead to hereditary pancreatitis.
Diagnosis
The doctor will opt for the diagnostic test which most likely confirms a suspicion of either type of the disease. If acute pancreatitis is believed to be the cause of the symptoms, the doctor my take a blood sample for detecting anomalies, like elevated amounts of pancreatic enzymes, or a high count of white blood cells; elevated levels of blood sugar (hyperglycemia), or of liver enzymes; and lowered calcium levels (high levels cause pancreatitis, but these eventually result in hypocalcaemia). The blood test may be followed by an abdominal X-ray or CT scan. Diagnosis for chronic pancreatitis, on the other hand, can be difficult to obtain, and the doctor may conduct numerous tests to identify it, including blood and stool testing, ultrasound, and pancreatic function testing or X-ray imaging.
Treatment Info
The patient will mostly be confined in a hospital facility for the treatment of acute pancreatitis, and if the disease has caused complications, admission to an intensive care unit is essential for pain management and the restoration of normal pancreatic functioning. Since the gland functions with every meal, intravenous fluids may be introduced to sustain the patient for several days. If gallstones obstruct the bile duct, these may be removed through surgery. Chronic pancreatitis treatments are usually employed to assist the patient in shaking off substance dependence, as well as to reduce pain and improve digestion problems. The patient may undergo therapy if the condition is caused by alcohol-abuse, then build up on the improvement with pain killers, go through enzyme therapy procedures for poor absorption, and make dietary changes in an effort to reduce the body’s need for multiple digestive enzymes.
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