What is pancreatitis disease

This includes:. Limiting Alcohol Consumption This might even mean cutting it out entirely. The most common cause of acute pancreatitis is excessive alcohol consumption, and chronic pancreatitis most commonly is due to alcoholism. Eating a Low-Fat Diet Avoiding fatty and fried foods can reduce your risk for gallstones, a leading cause of acute pancreatitis.

High levels of triglycerides can also increase your risk for acute pancreatitis. Limiting foods high in simple sugars sweets, sugary sodas can help. Exercising Regularly Being overweight increases your risk of gallstones, which puts you at greater risk for pancreatitis. But avoid crash-diets, which can cause your liver to increase cholesterol production, which in turn increases your risk for gallstones. Not Smoking Adults who smoked were 1.

Roughly 15 percent of acute pancreatitis cases are severe, notes the National Pancreas Foundation. But pancreatic necrosis is not fatal on its own. Severe pancreatitis can also cause organ failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and possibly death.

Because of the long-term damage sustained by the pancreas, chronic pancreatitis may result in diabetes due to impaired insulin secretion , as well as difficulty digesting and absorbing the nutrients needed to keep your body running as it should. People who have both chronic pancreatitis and diabetes are at a higher risk for pancreatic cancer , notes the NIDDK. Chronic pancreatitis can also lead to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency , in which the pancreas is so damaged that it lacks the digestive enzymes to properly digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates; this can lead to malnutrition and weight loss.

This can also lead to osteoporosis bone loss in people with chronic pancreatitis. Research published in June in PLoS One also suggested that people with acute pancreatitis — especially women over 50 — have a greater risk for developing osteoporosis. An article published in November 15 in the journal Pancreas noted that each year there are an estimated 5 to 73 cases of acute pancreatitis per every , people worldwide.

Pancreatitis is rare in children, though the number of children with acute pancreatitis has increased. Acute pancreatitis affects men and women equally, but men are more at risk for developing chronic pancreatitis.

The risk of pancreatitis is two- to threefold higher among Black Americans than white Americans, noted a study in the journal Gastroenterology. A study published in October in The American Journal of Gastroenterology found that when compared with white patients, Black patients were almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis due to alcohol or smoking.

A review of studies and meta-analysis published in January in Digestive Diseases and Sciences noted that the incidence of acute pancreatitis was 4. Pancreatitis can be a difficult condition to navigate, but there are a lot of resources out there that can provide more information on the illness, as well as places to find support. Click below for a comprehensive resources guide. Learn More About Pancreatitis Resources. Additional reporting by Carlene Bauer. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Health Topics. Health Tools. Reviewed: August 11, Medically Reviewed. The pancreas has two main, essential functions in the body: It secretes digestive enzymes to help the intestines digest food.

It helps regulate blood sugar levels by producing the hormones insulin and glucagon. The most common causes of acute pancreatitis are gallstones and alcohol. What Are Other Causes of Pancreatitis? Medical students use the mnemonic "I GET SMASHED" to remember the following additional causes of pancreatitis: I for idiopathic unknown causes G for gallstones E for ethanol alcohol T for trauma S for steroids M for mumps — as well as other infections, such as ascaris lumbricoides parasites, Coxsackie B virus, viral hepatitis , leptospirosis, and HIV — and malignancy tumors Autoimmune pancreatitis, which develops from an excess of IgG4 antibodies S for scorpion stings H for hyperlipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia elevated levels of fat in your blood and hypercalcaemia elevated blood calcium levels, which may cause calcium to deposit in the pancreatic duct or mediate the activation of pancreatic enzymes E for ERCP , or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography , an invasive diagnostic technique D for drugs Which Drugs Cause Pancreatitis?

Your doctor may also order the following imaging tests to check for the presence of gallstones, inflammation, and other changes: X-rays Ultrasounds Computerized tomography CT scans Endoscopic ultrasounds EUS Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography MRCP.

Chronic pancreatitis results in about 86, hospital stays per year. Black Americans and Pancreatitis The risk of pancreatitis is two- to threefold higher among Black Americans than white Americans, noted a study in the journal Gastroenterology.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking. Symptoms and Causes of Pancreatitis. November Etiology of Acute Pancreatitis. January 9, The main symptom of acute and chronic pancreatitis is. People with acute pancreatitis usually look and feel seriously ill and need to see a doctor right away. Gallstones cause inflammation of your pancreas as stones pass through and get stuck in a bile or pancreatic duct. This condition is called gallstone pancreatitis.

This is called idiopathic pancreatitis. Overview Pancreatitis caused by gallstones Open pop-up dialog box Close. Pancreatitis caused by gallstones Gallstones are a common cause of pancreatitis.

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Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Pancreatitis. Accessed Aug. Pancreatitis: Acute and chronic. American College of Gastroenterology. Feldman M, et al. Elsevier; Richardson A, et al. Acute pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus: A review. Korean Journal of Internal Medicine. Complementary pancreatitis therapies.