Who is affected? Acute pancreatitis is more common in middle-aged and elderly people, but it can affect people of any age. Men are more likely to develop alcohol-related pancreatitis, while women are more likely to develop it as a result of gallstones.
Certain diseases, surgeries, and habits make you more likely to develop this condition. Alcohol use is responsible for up to 70% of cases in the United States. About 5 to 8 drinks per day for 5 or more years can damage the pancreas. Gallstones are the next most common cause.
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.
The most common causes of acute pancreatitis include gallstones, alcohol use, and hypertriglyceridemia.
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)
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.
Most people with acute pancreatitis will recover completely in a few days with supportive care: rest, hydration and pain relief. However, a very severe case of acute pancreatitis can cause serious health complications, some of them life-threatening.
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.
See a GI specialist if you are experiencing unexplained weight loss, have persistent fatigue, develop jaundice, have ongoing stomach pain or a persistent bowel pattern change.
Pancreatitis has two stages — acute and chronic. Chronic pancreatitis is a more persistent condition. Most cases of acute pancreatitis are mild and involve a short hospital stay for the pancreas to recover. Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly after the pancreas is damaged.
Genetic variants, just like environmental and other risk factors, can contribute to increased risk of pancreatitis. In fact, most patients with pancreatitis have both environmental and genetic contributions to their disease. Several environmental risk factors, such as alcohol, tobacco and diet are readily identifiable.
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.
The largest study to date of patients who have had surgery for chronic pancreatitis with follow-up of six years or longer has found that about two-thirds survive after 10 years.
Prognosis in chronic pancreatitis
The overall 10-year and 20-year survival rates are estimated to be about 70% and 45%, respectively. For some people, a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis can mean a lifetime of pain and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Pancreatitis can cause dehydration, so drink more fluids throughout the day. It may help to keep a water bottle or glass of water with you.
In addition to hospital treatment, the following lifestyle changes are recommended to help aid recovery and possibly prevent pancreatitis: Drink plenty of water. Stop or reduce alcohol consumption. Stop smoking, because the habit increases your risk of pancreatitis.
Other tests that may be used to check for complications of acute pancreatitis include: Full Blood Count (including white blood cell count) Glucose. The full blood count, electrolytes, and liver function tests are typically normal in chronic pancreatitis.
It usually builds up quickly (over a few hours) and may last for several days. The pain can become severe and is typically felt spreading through to the back. The pain may be sudden and intense, or it may begin as a mild pain that is aggravated by eating and slowly grows worse.
Pain is the most distressing and disruptive feature of recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) resulting in low quality of life (QOL) and disabilities.
“Silent,” or painless, chronic pancreatitis (CP) exists when patients with diagnostic features of CP describe no abdominal pain. It is a poorly understood phenomenon but it is important as it may go unnoticed until serious complications arise, including pancreatic insufficiency, diabetes, and even cancer.