№ 14Gastroenterology17 min read
Acute and chronic pancreatitis
1. Big picture
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas caused by premature activation of pancreatic enzymes inside the gland.
There are two major exam patterns:
| Type | Core idea | Classic clinical pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Acute pancreatitis | Sudden pancreatic inflammation, potentially reversible | Severe epigastric pain radiating to the back + vomiting + raised lipase/amylase |
| Chronic pancreatitis | Irreversible fibrosis and loss of exocrine/endocrine function | Chronic/recurrent epigastric pain + alcohol history + steatorrhea + weight loss + diabetes |
The most common causes of acute pancreatitis are gallstones and alcohol. Chronic pancreatitis is most classically caused by long-term alcohol use, but smoking, genetic mutations, obstruction, autoimmune disease, and recurrent acute pancreatitis also matter.
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