Chronic PancreatitisNot what you're looking for? Show
What is chronic pancreatitis?Your pancreas is an organ with many important functions. It makes enzymes that help you digest food. It also makes insulin to keep your blood sugar levels under control. Short-term (acute) pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation of your pancreas. This can be very painful. You may have nausea, vomiting, and fever. If your acute pancreatitis doesn’t get better and slowly gets worse, you may have chronic pancreatitis. What causes chronic pancreatitis?If you have chronic pancreatitis, the digestive enzymes that would normally travel by tubes inside your pancreas and empty into your upper intestine, become trapped inside your pancreas. This causes pain and scarring. The trapped enzymes slowly cause severe damage to your pancreas. The most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is drinking a lot of alcohol over a long period of time.. Other causes include:
What are the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis?Early symptoms of chronic pancreatitis are similar to acute pancreatitis. Symptoms are occasional and include:
Chronic pancreatitis causes severe damage to your pancreas. This means that your body won't be able to make needed enzymes and hormones. This can result in malnutrition, because you won't be able to digest foods. Chronic pancreatitis can also cause diabetes. This happens because your pancreas can't make insulin. Insulin controls blood sugar. How is chronic pancreatitis diagnosed?Your healthcare provider will diagnose you with chronic pancreatitis if:
Your healthcare provider will examine your belly. You will also be asked about your drinking history and any family history of pancreatic disease or cystic fibrosis. Blood and imaging tests are an important part of your diagnosis. They can include:
How is chronic pancreatitis treated?Day-to-day treatment includes:
For acute pancreatitis or a flare-up, you may need to stay in the hospital for treatment. Your exact treatment will depend on the cause of your chronic pancreatitis, how severe the symptoms are, and your physical condition. Acute treatments may include:
What are possible complications of chronic pancreatitis?Chronic pancreatitis damages the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. This may cause these complications:
How can I help prevent chronic pancreatitis?The best way to prevent chronic pancreatitis is to drink only in moderation or not at all. Moderate alcohol drinking is considered to be no more than 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men. Quitting smoking is also very helpful. It eases pain and swelling. Living with chronic pancreatitisIf you have been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis, your healthcare provider may suggest these lifestyle changes:
When should I call my healthcare provider?Call your healthcare provider when you start to have short-term (acute) symptoms, including:
Key points about chronic pancreatitis
Next stepsTips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:
Medical Reviewer: Jen Lehrer MD Medical Reviewer: Rita Sather RN Medical Reviewer: Raymond Kent Turley BSN MSN RN © 2000-2022 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions. Not what you're looking for? Which diagnostic test will help the nurse confirm pancreatitis in the client?The best test for acute pancreatitis is the serum lipase test. If the lipase concentration is >3x the upper limit of normal, a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is highly likely. Serum lipase levels increase within 4-8 hours of acute pancreatitis onset and remain elevated for 8-14 days.
What are the diagnostic tests for pancreatitis?Diagnosis. Blood tests to look for elevated levels of pancreatic enzymes, along with white blood cells, kidney function and liver enzymes.. Abdominal ultrasound to look for gallstones and pancreas inflammation.. Computerized tomography (CT) scan to look for gallstones and assess the extent of pancreas inflammation.. Which laboratory test would the nurse anticipate to help diagnose pancreatitis?Serum amylase and lipase levels.
These are used in making a diagnosis, although their elevation can be attributed to many causes, and serum lipase remains elevated for a longer period than amylase.
Which test is useful to diagnose acute pancreatitis?Recent studies indicate that serum lipase may be a better test to diagnose acute pancreatitis. Therefore, serum lipase should be used more frequently in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.
|