Pancreas disorders

Pancreatitis is a acute or chronic inflammatory process that affects the pancreas causing an alteration of its usual functions. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach responsible for the synthesis of hormones like insulin and glucagon involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels and enzymes that favor digestive processes such as trypsin and chymotrypsin that help digestion of proteins, lipase that facilitates the digestion of fats, amylase that promotes digestion, polysaccharides or RNase and DNAse that intervene in digestion RNA and DNA respectively.

How does the disease occur

Acute inflammation of the pancreas is related in most cases to the presence of a gallstone and to a lesser extent with acute or chronic alcohol abuse. Other less frequent causes are after surgery or diagnostic techniques, drug poisoning, systemic infections that affect the pancreas or. Chronic inflammation of the pancreas is related in most cases to chronic alcohol abuse. Other less common causes are familial forms, cystic fibrosis in children, and forms of unknown cause.

Symptoms of pancreatitis

• Mild to severe abdominal pain in the gastric or periumbilical area radiating to the back, chest or flanks
• nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal distension.
• Fever
• Tachycardia
• Hypotension
• Dehydration
• Jaundice.

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis may be longer and may appear:

• Mild to severe abdominal pain in the gastric or periumbilical area, radiating to the back, chest or flanks.
• nausea and vomiting
• Nutrient malabsorption syndrome: diarrhea, fatty stools, malnutrition, and weight loss.
• Alterations in glucose metabolism: diabetes.

Diagnosis of the disease

The diagnosis of pancreatitis is made by the in digestive pathology in the consultation of the medical center or hospital. The diagnosis of the disease is based on: a correct physical exploration of the patient and the evaluation of the symptoms that he presents.

The result of the complementary studies that are carried out, among which are a blood test that should show signs of inflammation or alteration of the function of the pancreas; or imaging tests such as x-ray, ultrasound, or abdominal tomography that show a enlargement of the gland or the presence of alterations such as stones, abscesses, calcifications, cysts, or tumors.

Treatment of the disease

Acute pancreatitis is a medical emergency and requires hospital admission. The treatment of pancreatitis consists of treating the cause that has produced it if possible and treating the symptoms of the disease itself. The acute includes:

• Absolute diet and fluid intake
• pain control with pain relievers
• Enteral nutrition when necessary
• Prophylactic antibiotic treatment to avoid bacterial colonization of the gland by germs from the digestive system.

Treatment of symptoms in chronic pancreatitis includes:

• Absolute diet and fluid intake
• pain control with pain relievers
• Vitamin and pancreatic enzyme supplementation in malabsorption syndromes
• Proper diet and insulin administration in cases of diabetes.