Page contents
- What is pancreatitis?
- symptoms
- Causes and risk factors
- Multiples
- Diagnosis
- treatment
- protection
The pancreas, or the so-called pancreas, is one of the glands located behind the stomach next to the duodenum, which works mainly on the following:
- Secretion of powerful digestive enzymes in the small intestine that helps digest carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
- The release of the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream, which are responsible for processing sugars in the bloodstream and regulating the storage of food in the body, and its subsequent use for energy production.
The pancreas may be damaged as a result of the immune system attacking the pancreatic tissue, which leads to inflammation in it. There are two types of pancreatitis, and they are as follows:
Acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis arises and develops over a short period of time, usually for several reasons, such as the following:
- Gallstones forming in the gallbladder.
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Take some types of medication.
- exposure to infections.
- An imbalance in the metabolic processes in the body (Metabolism).
- undergo surgery.
Chronic pancreatitis
Chronic inflammation of the pancreas often occurs after acute pancreatitis, or as a result of persistent pancreatitis.
More than 70% of cases of chronic pancreatitis result from the consumption of alcoholic beverages excessively and for a long period of time, and may also be due to the presence of disturbances in the body's metabolic processes.
Symptoms of pancreatitis
Symptoms that may result from pancreatitis include:
- Sharp pains in the upper abdomen and parts of the back, similar to tingling and intensifying when eating food rich in fat.
- Bloating and sensitivity in the abdominal cavity.
- Feeling sick and vomiting.
- fever.
- Fast heartbeat (tachycardia).
Causes and risk factors for pancreatitis
The causes of pancreatitis can be explained according to its type as follows:
1. Causes of acute pancreatitis
In most cases of acute pancreatitis, the exact cause of infection is not known, but the causes of infection may include the following:
- Presence of gallstones.
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Take some types of medication.
- Blood lipid imbalance.
- Having an infection.
- undergo surgery.
2. Causes of chronic pancreatitis
It includes the following:
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages over a long period of time.
- Disturbances in the metabolism process.
- Hereditary history of the injury.
3. Factors that increase the risk of developing chronic pancreatitis
There are many risk factors that may increase the risk of developing chronic pancreatitis, such as the following:
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages over a long period of time.
- Gender. Men are more likely to develop chronic pancreatitis than women, especially those over the age of 35-40.
Complications of pancreatitis
There are many complications that pancreatitis may cause, such as the following:
- infection.
- Kidney failure.
- breathing difficulties.
- diabetes.
Diagnosis of pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is diagnosed by conducting some tests, such as the following:
- Examination of the functioning of the pancreas.
- Glucose tolerance test (GTT).
- Ultrasound imaging.
- Computed Tomography - CT.
- Endoscopy of the ducts of the gallbladder and pancreas.
- Endoscopic ultrasonography - EUS.
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pancreatitis treatment
The methods of treating pancreatitis according to its type will be explained in the following:
1. Treatment of acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis can be treated in the hospital. At first, the patient is given drugs by intravenous infusion, in addition to pain-relieving drugs. In 20% of cases, acute pancreatitis needs to be treated in the intensive care unit.
In the intensive care department, devices are available to monitor and closely monitor the patient during treatment, as acute pancreatitis may cause damage to the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
An acute attack of pancreatitis lasts only a few days, after which the inflammation subsides, and the pancreas returns to normal.
In some severe cases of acute pancreatitis, pancreatic tissue damage and death (Pancreatic Necrosis) may occur. In this case, surgery may be performed to remove the affected tissue. The most important information about it is as follows:
- The surgery can be performed by laparoscopy, or by another method that is minimally invasive, when laparoscopic surgery is performed, small incisions are made in the abdominal cavity.
- The laparoscope is a medical device that is inserted into the abdominal cavity, and it is connected to a monitor inside the operating room. When the endoscope is inserted into the patient's abdomen, images of the patient's internal organs are displayed on the screen, then the doctor performs the appropriate procedure.
- One of the most important advantages of performing laparoscopic surgery is that it is sufficient to open small wounds, which reduces the possibility of infection, and reduces pain and scars, in addition to the patient’s recovery faster and in a shorter period of time.
2. Treatment of chronic pancreatitis
The treatment of this type of inflammation is more complicated than the treatment of acute inflammation, and the doctor tries to relieve the patient’s pain caused by inflammation, and also tries to improve the disturbance in the patient’s metabolic processes, which may be the source of the improper functioning of the pancreas, where the patient is given a set of treatments that It contains pancreatic enzymes, and the hormone insulin in case the pancreas is unable to secrete it.
In order to improve the ability to absorb nutrients, pancreatic enzymes are given as tablets to be taken with a meal, and it is usually advised to maintain a diet with low levels of fat.
Surgical treatment helps relieve pain in the abdominal cavity, and may reduce the frequency of pain attacks that may affect the patient.
Patients must refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages and follow the instructions of the doctor and dietician who supervise the treatment, and patients must be careful and keep taking the necessary medications to reduce the severity of the pain attacks caused by inflammation.
Prevention of pancreatitis
Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages is the main cause of pancreatitis, so reducing it or completely abstaining from it is one of the most important means of preventing infection with this type of infection.
People who suffer from the problem of excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can go to the treating physician to receive the necessary instructions, and go to treatment centers for those addicted to alcoholic beverages.
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