Definition
Acute pancreatitis is sudden inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ that sits behind the stomach. It makes fluids that help break down food in the small intestine.
The Pancreas |
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Causes
Causes may be:
- Gallstones that block fluid from leaving the pancreas
- Alcohol use disorder
- Certain medicines, such as corticosteroids, opioids, and valproate
- High triglyceride levels
- Abdominal trauma
- Complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
Sometimes the cause is not known.
Risk Factors
The risk of this problem is higher in people who have any of the causes listed above.
Other things that may raise the risk of this problem are:
- Having other family members who have had this problem
- Obesity
- Type 2 diabetes
- Tobacco use disorder
- Being around certain toxins at work or in the environment
Symptoms
The main problem is mild to severe pain in the center of the belly. It may also spread into the upper back. This pain may last several days.
A person with acute pancreatitis may also have:
- Swollen belly
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
Diagnosis
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. You may be asked about your use of alcohol. A physical exam will be done.
Tests may also be done. They include:
Treatment
Any underlying causes will need to be treated.
Most people recover in a few days. The goal of treatment is to manage symptoms during this time. This may be done with:
- Supportive care, such as drinking extra fluids or getting fluids through an IV
- Dietary changes, such as a low fat diet or nutrition given through a tube that is passed through the nose and into the stomach
- Medicines to ease pain
People who are not helped by these methods may need surgery. The type of surgery done depends on the reason for the pancreatitis. A person may have:
- Percutaneous catheter drainage to drain fluid from the pancreas
- ERCP to remove gallstones
- Cholecystectomy to remove the gallbladder if gallstones are the cause
- Necrosectomy to remove dying or dead tissue from the pancreas
Prevention
To lower the risk of this health problem:
- Manage chronic health problems, such as high triglycerides and obesity
- Limit alcohol
RESOURCES
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases https://www.niddk.nih.gov
National Pancreas Foundation https://pancreasfoundation.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Canadian Association of Gastroenterology https://www.cag-acg.org
Health Canada https://www.canada.ca
References
Acute pancreatitis in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/acute-pancreatitis-in-adults. Accessed April 28, 2022.
Causes of acute pancreatitis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/causes-of-acute-pancreatitis. Accessed April 28, 2022.
Pancreatitis. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/condition/pancreatitis. Accessed April 28, 2022.
Pancreatitis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/pancreatitis/definition-facts. Accessed April 28, 2022.
Prevention of acute pancreatitis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/prevention/prevention-of-acute-pancreatitis. Accessed April 28, 2022.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board James P. Cornell, MD
- Review Date: 03/2022
- Update Date: 04/28/2022