About Chronic Pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis is a disease where long-term inflammation in the pancreas causes healthy tissue to be replaced with thick, scar-like tissue. This change cannot be undone and leads to a loss of important functions in the pancreas, including helping with digestion and making hormones.
Common symptoms include lasting stomach pain and a slow loss of pancreatic function. People with chronic pancreatitis may need medical or surgical procedures to help with issues caused by the disease. Chronic pancreatitis can seriously affect a person's daily life, raise the risk of pancreatic cancer, and reduce how long a person may live.
Early diagnosis and treatment are important for easing symptoms and preventing more damage to the pancreas.
The root causes of chronic pancreatitis include:
- Auto-digestion of the pancreas: This happens when the digestive enzymes made by the pancreas become active too early, causing inflammation and damage to the pancreatic tissue.
The non-modifiable risk factors of chronic pancreatitis cannot be changed or controlled. This includes:
- Age: Chronic pancreatitis is more common in people between the ages of 50 and 70 years old.
- Sex assigned at birth: Males have a slightly higher risk of developing chronic pancreatitis compared to females.
- Genetics: Genetic differences play an important role in the development of chronic pancreatitis, especially in cases that start at a young age. Different genetic factors have been found and continuing research is uncovering new genes linked with the disease.
- Race or ethnicity: While race or ethnicity alone does not cause chronic pancreatitis, studies have shown that certain groups may have a higher risk. However, it is important to note that this risk factor is influenced by many other factors and is not the only cause.
The modifiable risk factors of Chronic Pancreatitis can be influenced or changed. These include:
- Smoking: Tobacco smoking is a known risk factor for chronic pancreatitis. Quitting smoking can help reduce the risk.
- Alcohol use: Drinking too much alcohol is another major modifiable risk factor for chronic pancreatitis. Reducing or completely stopping alcohol can lower the risk.
- Being overweight and abdominal fat: Being overweight or having too much belly fat increases the risk of developing chronic pancreatitis. Keeping a healthy weight through diet and exercise can help lower this risk.
- Gallstone diseases: Gallstones (hard, stone-like pieces that form in the gallbladder) can block the pancreatic duct (tube), leading to inflammation and long-lasting damage. Treating gallstones right away can help prevent chronic pancreatitis.
- High blood triglycerides levels: High levels of triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) have been linked with an increased risk of chronic pancreatitis. Controlling triglyceride levels through lifestyle changes and medications, if needed, can help reduce this risk.
- Repeat episodes of pancreatitis: Having pancreatitis multiple times raises the risk of developing chronic pancreatitis.
It's important to note that while these modifiable risk factors can increase the chance of developing chronic pancreatitis, they do not mean it will happen. It's always best to talk with a healthcare professional for personalized advice and guidance.
The most common early symptoms of chronic pancreatitis include:
- Severe upper abdominal pain that can sometimes spread along the back
- Nausea and vomiting, usually happening during episodes of pain
As chronic pancreatitis gets worse or reaches later stages, the following symptoms may occur:
- Constant abdominal pain: Pain that happens often and can be intense
- Frequent and severe episodes of pain: Pain that occurs repeatedly and is very strong
- Smelly, greasy stools: Bowel movements that have a strong odor and look oily
- Bloating: Feeling full or swollen in the belly
- Flatulence: Passing gas
In more advanced stages, the pancreas may not be able to make insulin, leading to type 1 diabetes. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can include:
- Thirst: Feeling very thirsty
- Frequent urination: Needing to go to the bathroom often
- Intense hunger: Feeling extremely hungry
- Unplanned weight loss: Losing weight without trying
- Tiredness
- Blurred vision: Vision that looks unclear or fuzzy
It is important to note that not all people will experience every symptom, and the severity of symptoms can be different. If you notice any concerning symptoms, it is recommended to talk with a healthcare professional to find out what’s wrong and get the right care.
To diagnose chronic pancreatitis, health care professionals commonly perform the following exams, tests, and procedures:
- Physical exam: The health care provider will look for physical signs of a medical problem, such as pain:
- Stomach pain: Checking if there is pain or discomfort when pressing on the upper stomach area
- Weight loss: Noticing if there has been any unplanned weight loss
- Poor nutrition: Looking for signs like muscle loss or dry skin, which may show the body isn’t getting enough nutrients
- Yellow skin or eyes: Looking for yellowing of the skin or eyes, which could mean problems with the pancreas affecting the liver or bile ducts
- Medical history: The health care provider will ask about your medical history and any lifestyle choices that may affect the pancreas.
- Blood tests: These tests can check for high levels of pancreatic enzymes, such as amylase and lipase.
- Imaging tests: These include CT (computed tomography) scans, MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), and ultrasounds to see the pancreas and nearby organs.
- Stool tests: These tests can check for fat in the stool, which can show if the pancreas isn’t properly digesting food (fat malabsorption).
To find out how serious chronic pancreatitis is, additional exams, tests, and procedures may be recommended:
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): This procedure uses X-rays and an endoscope (a small, flexible tube with a camera) to look at the pancreatic ducts.
- Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP): This imaging test gives detailed pictures of the pancreas and its ducts.
- Pancreatic function tests: These tests check how well the pancreas works, including its ability to make digestive enzymes and control blood sugar levels.
It's important to talk with your healthcare professional about which specific exams, tests, and procedures are right for your situation.
The goals of treatment for chronic pancreatitis are:
- Relieve pain: Pain control is a main goal in controlling chronic pancreatitis. Medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help relieve milder pain. However, controlling pain can be complicated and may require help from a pain specialist. In some cases, surgery may be needed to open blocked ducts or remove part of the pancreas to relieve pain.
- Improve food absorption: Chronic pancreatitis can lead to problems with taking in nutrients from food and lead to low levels of certain vitamins. Digestive enzymes pills can help the body better take in nutrients. A low-carb (carbohydrate), high-protein diet that limits certain types of fats may be recommended.
- Treat diabetes: Chronic pancreatitis can cause diabetes, which usually requires treatment with insulin or other medications, depending on the case.
- Slow or stop damage to the pancreas: Lifestyle changes play an important role in controlling chronic pancreatitis. These may include staying away from alcohol, stopping tobacco use, making diet changes (eating small low-fat meals more frequently), and taking vitamins and enzymes to make sure the body gets the nutrition it needs.
- Control health problems caused from chronic pancreatitis: This includes dealing with issues such as weight loss, poor nutrition and diarrhea that may result from the condition.
It's important to note that the specific treatment approach will depend on the person’s symptoms and seriousness of the condition. Talking with a healthcare professional is important for specific treatment recommendations.
Medication dosing may be affected by many factors. Check with your health care professional about dosing for your individual situation. Other side effects can occur. Check with your health care professional or read the information provided with your medication for additional side effect information.