These stones sometimes pass into and block the duct that the gallbladder shares with the pancreas called the common bile duct. Normally, the pancreas secretes pancreatic fluid through the pancreatic duct into the first part of the small intestine duodenum.
This pancreatic fluid contains digestive enzymes that help digest food. If a gallstone becomes stuck in the sphincter of Oddi the opening where the pancreatic duct empties into the duodenum , pancreatic fluid stops flowing. Usually, the blockage is temporary and causes limited damage, which is soon repaired.
But if the blockage remains, the enzymes collect in the pancreas and begin to digest the cells of the pancreas, causing severe inflammation. The risk of developing pancreatitis increases with increasing amounts of alcohol 4 to 7 drinks per day in men and 3 or more drinks per day in women. How alcohol causes pancreatitis is not fully understood. One theory is that alcohol is converted into toxic chemicals in the pancreas that cause damage. Another theory is that alcohol may cause the small ductules in the pancreas that drain into the pancreatic duct to clog, eventually causing acute pancreatitis.
For some people, acute pancreatitis is hereditary. Gene mutations that predispose people to developing acute pancreatitis have been identified. People who have cystic fibrosis Cystic Fibrosis CF Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease that causes certain glands to produce abnormally thick secretions, resulting in tissue and organ damage, especially in the lungs and the digestive tract Many drugs can irritate the pancreas.
Usually, the inflammation resolves when the drugs are stopped. Drugs such as angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE inhibitors, azathioprine , furosemide , 6- mercaptopurine , pentamidine , sulfa drugs, and valproate. Estrogen use in women with high levels of lipids in the blood. High levels of calcium in the blood Hypercalcemia High Level of Calcium in the Blood In hypercalcemia, the level of calcium in blood is too high. A high calcium level may result from a problem with the parathyroid glands, as well as from diet, cancer, or disorders affecting Viruses such as mumps Mumps Mumps is a contagious viral infection that causes painful enlargement of the salivary glands.
The infection may also affect the testes, brain, and pancreas, especially in adults. Mumps is caused Enterovirus infections are caused by many different viruses. Hepatitis A is usually spread when people ingest something that has Hepatitis E is usually spread when people ingest something that has been contaminated by the stool of an infected person High levels of triglycerides in the blood hypertriglyceridemia Dyslipidemia Dyslipidemia is a high level of lipids cholesterol, triglycerides, or both or a low high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol level.
Lifestyle, genetics, disorders such as low thyroid hormone Damage to the pancreas caused by surgery or endoscopy such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Imaging tests of the liver, gallbladder, and biliary tract include ultrasonography, radionuclide scanning, computed tomography CT , magnetic resonance imaging MRI , endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography Cancer of the pancreas Pancreatic Cancer Smoking, chronic pancreatitis, male sex, being black, and possibly long-standing diabetes are risk factors for pancreatic cancer.
Abdominal pain, weight loss, jaundice, and vomiting are some Hereditary pancreatitis, including a small percentage of people with cystic fibrosis Cystic Fibrosis CF Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease that causes certain glands to produce abnormally thick secretions, resulting in tissue and organ damage, especially in the lungs and the digestive tract Kidney transplantation Kidney Transplantation Kidney transplantation is the removal of a healthy kidney from a living or recently deceased person and then its transfer into a person with end-stage kidney failure.
See also Overview of Transplantation Almost everyone with acute pancreatitis has severe abdominal pain in the upper abdomen. When acute pancreatitis is caused by gallstones, the pain usually starts suddenly and reaches its maximum intensity in minutes. When pancreatitis is caused by alcohol, pain typically develops over a few days. Whatever the cause, the pain then remains steady and severe, has a penetrating quality, and may persist for days. Coughing, vigorous movement, and deep breathing may worsen the pain.
Sitting upright and leaning forward may provide some relief. Most people feel nauseated and have to vomit, sometimes to the point of dry heaves retching without producing any vomit. Often, even large doses of an injected opioid analgesic Opioid Analgesics In some cases, treating the underlying disorder eliminates or minimizes the pain.
For example, setting a broken bone in a cast or giving antibiotics for an infected joint helps reduce pain In acute pancreatitis, a person may develop some swelling in the upper abdomen. This swelling may occur because the intestinal contents have stopped moving, causing the intestines to swell a condition called ileus Ileus Ileus is a temporary lack of the normal muscle contractions of the intestines.
Bloating, vomiting Some people, especially those who develop acute pancreatitis because of alcohol use, may never develop any symptoms other than moderate to severe pain. Other people feel terrible. They look sick and are sweaty and have a fast pulse to beats a minute and shallow, rapid breathing. Rapid breathing may also occur if people have inflammation of the lungs, areas of collapsed lung tissue atelectasis Atelectasis Atelectasis is a condition in which all or part of a lung becomes airless and collapses.
Blockage of the bronchial tubes is a common cause of atelectasis. Shortness of breath can develop if Fluid can accumulate in the pleural These conditions may decrease the amount of lung tissue available to transfer oxygen from the air to the blood and can lower the oxygen levels in the blood. Blood pressure is usually low and tends to fall when the person stands, causing lightheadedness.
A pancreatic pseudocyst is a collection of fluid containing pancreatic enzymes that forms in and around the pancreas. The pseudocyst goes away spontaneously in some people.
In other people, the pseudocyst does not go away and can become infected. Necrotizing pancreatitis may occur in severe acute pancreatitis. In necrotizing pancreatitis, parts of the pancreas may die and body fluid may escape into the abdominal cavity, which decreases blood volume and results in a large drop in blood pressure, possibly causing shock Shock Shock is a life-threatening condition in which blood flow to the organs is low, decreasing delivery of oxygen and thus causing organ damage and sometimes death.
Blood pressure is usually low Severe acute pancreatitis can be life threatening. Infection of an inflamed pancreas is a risk, particularly in people who have necrotizing pancreatitis. Sometimes, a doctor suspects an infection when a person's condition worsens and a fever develops, especially if this happens after the person's first symptoms started to subside.
Organ failure can occur in acute pancreatitis because damage to the pancreas may permit activated enzymes and toxins such as cytokines Cytokines One of the body's lines of defense immune system involves white blood cells leukocytes that travel through the bloodstream and into tissues, searching for and attacking microorganisms and This damage can cause some people who have acute pancreatitis to develop failure of other organs, including the kidneys, lungs, or heart, and this failure can lead to death.
Characteristic abdominal pain leads a doctor to suspect acute pancreatitis, especially in a person who has gallbladder disease or who drinks a lot of alcohol. But some people with severe acute pancreatitis can go on to develop serious complications. Acute pancreatitis is different to chronic pancreatitis , where the pancreas has become permanently damaged from inflammation over many years.
Read more about the symptoms of acute pancreatitis and diagnosing acute pancreatitis. See a GP immediately if you suddenly develop severe abdominal pain. If this isn't possible, contact NHS for advice. By reducing how much alcohol you drink and altering your diet to make gallstones less likely, you can reduce your chances of developing acute pancreatitis.
Read more about the causes of acute pancreatitis and preventing acute pancreatitis. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Pancreatitis caused by gallstones Open pop-up dialog box Close. Pancreatitis caused by gallstones Gallstones are a common cause of pancreatitis.
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Accessed Aug. Pancreatitis: Acute and chronic. American College of Gastroenterology. Feldman M, et al. Elsevier;
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