Chronic Pancreatitis
Chronic Pancreatitis
This begins as acute pancreatitis and becomes chronic when the pancreas and nearby tissues get affected. This condition is usually due to prolonged and excessive alcohol consumption, but may also develop from other causes of pancreatitis. In up to 70 per cent of adult patients, chronic pancreatitis appears to be caused by alcoholism. Therefore, it is more common in men than women and often develops between the ages of 30 and 40. Chronic pancreatitis may also be triggered by a single acute attack, especially if the pancreatic ducts are damaged.
Symptoms include intermittent bouts of abdominal pain that can be severe. The pain may last anywhere from a few hours to weeks or even years. Drinking alcohol or eating food often makes the symptoms worse. In some cases, the abdominal pain disappears as the condition advances, because the pancreas is unable to produce digestive enzymes. However, some people with chronic pancreatitis never experience discomfort.
In addition to pain, chronic pancreatitis can cause :
Hereditary Pancreatitis
Persons with hereditary pancreatitis usually have the typically pancreatitis symptoms that come and go over time. Episodes last from two days to two weeks. A determining factor in the diagnosis of hereditary pancreatitis is two or more family members with pancreatitis in more than one generation. Although the genetic defect that causes the condition is present at birth, signs and symptoms often don't appear until the first or second decade of life.
Pancreatitis in Children
Rare in children, trauma to the pancreas and hereditary pancreatitis are two known causes of childhood pancreatitis. Children with cystic fibrosis, a progressive, disabling, and incurable lung disease, may also have pancreatitis. But more often the cause is not known.
Pancreatitis
Causes of Pancreatitis
Chronic Pancreatitis
Diagnosis for Pancreatitis
Complications due to Acute Pancreataitis
Chronic Pancreatitis and Prevention
|