Pancreatitis
What Happens
Pancreatitis
usually appears as a sudden (acute) attack of pain in the
Reference upper area Opens New Window Reference 
Opens New Window of the belly (abdomen). The disease may be mild or severe.
Acute pancreatitis
Most people with pancreatitis have mild acute pancreatitis. The disease does not affect their other organs, and these people recover without problems. In most cases, the disease goes away within a week after treatment begins. Treatment takes place in the hospital with pain medicines and intravenous (IV) fluids. After inflammation goes away, the pancreas usually returns to normal.
In some cases, pancreatic tissue is permanently damaged or even dies (necrosis). These complications increase the risk of infection and organ failure.
In severe cases, pancreatitis can be fatal.
Chronic pancreatitis
Long-term pancreatitis (chronic pancreatitis) may occur after one or more episodes of acute pancreatitis. The most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is long-term Reference alcohol abuse Opens New Window.
What happens during the course of chronic pancreatitis varies. Ongoing pain and complications often occur. Complications may include flare-ups of symptoms, fluid buildup, and blockage of a blood vessel, the bile duct, or the small intestine.
If much of your pancreatic tissue has died, you may become malnourished. This happens because the pancreas no longer produces enzymes needed to digest fat and protein. So fat is released into your stool. This condition, called steatorrhea, causes loose, pale, unusually foul-smelling stools that may float in the toilet bowl.
If the damaged pancreas stops making enough Reference insulin Opens New Window, you also may develop Reference diabetes Opens New Window.
Chronic pancreatitis increases the risk of pancreatic cancer. About 4 out of 100 people with chronic pancreatitis develop this cancer.Reference 1
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference October 31, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Reference Peter J. Kahrilas, MD - Gastroenterology |
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