Pancreatitis

Pancreas and its Function 

the pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen. It plays an essential role in converting the food we eat into fuel for the body's cells. The pancreas has two main functions: an exocrine function that helps in digestion and an endocrine function that regulates blood sugar

Pancreatitis is a disease of pancrease which  is defined as " inflammation of pancreas is known as pancreatitis" 

What Is Pancreatitis?

The pancreas is a gland located in the upper part of the abdomen. It produces two main types of substances: digestive juices and digestive hormones. Inflammation of the pancreas is termed pancreatitis and its inflammation has various causes. Once the gland becomes inflamed, the condition can progress to swelling of the gland and surrounding blood vessels, bleeding, infection, and damage to the gland. There, digestive juices become trapped and start "digesting" the pancreas itself. If this damage persists, the gland may not be able to carry out normal functions. Pancreatitis may be acute (new, short-term) or chronic (ongoing, long-term). Either type can be very severe, even life-threatening. Either type can have serious complications.

Acute pancreatitis usually begins soon after the damage to the pancreas begins. Attacks are typically very mild, but about 20% of them are very severe. An attack lasts for a short time and usually resolves completely as the pancreas returns to its normal state. Some people have only one attack, whereas other people have more than one   attack, but the pancreas always returns to its normal state unless necrotizing pancreatitis develops and becomes life-threatening.
Chronic pancreatitis begins as acute pancreatitis. If the pancreas becomes scarred during the attack of acute pancreatitis, it cannot return to its normal state. The damage to the gland continues, worsening over time.

some of the symptoms of pancreatitis may include;

• severe pain in the upper abdomen or left upper quadrent. the pain is usually a burninng sensation that also radiates across back 
• Nausea vomiting 
• Raised blood pressure
• Dehydration
• Elevated heart rate and breathing rate
• Fever 
• Jaundice
• Weight loss and loss of apetite

Chronic pancreatitis may also lead to Diabetes and even Pancreatic Cancer

Causes;

• the majority of pancreatitis cases are caused by:
• Gall stone ( gall bladder stone) or alcohol consumption
• The use of certain medications  also cause pancreatitis;
• Examples of drugs are;
• The HIV drugs ( didanosine, valproic acid)
• Chemotherapy agent "azathioprine"

How Is Pancreatitis Diagnosed?

When a health-care professional identifies symptoms suggestive of pancreatitis, specific questions are asked about the person's symptoms, lifestyle and habits, and medical and surgical history. The answers to these questions and the results of the physical examination allow the health-care professional to rule out some conditions and make the correct diagnosis.

In most cases, laboratory tests are needed. The tests check the functioning of several body systems, including the following:

Pancreas, liver, and kidney functions (including levels of pancreatic enzymes amylase and lipase)
Signs of infections, for example, fever or fatigue
Blood cell counts indicating signs of anemia
Pregnancy test
Blood sugar, electrolyte levels (an imbalance suggests dehydration) and calcium level
Results of the blood tests may be inconclusive if the pancreas is still making digestive enzymes and insulin.

Diagnostic imaging tests are usually needed to look for complications of pancreatitis, including gallstones.

Diagnostic imaging tests may include the following:

X-ray films may be ordered to look for complications of pancreatitis as well as for other causes of discomfort. This may include a chest X-ray.
A CT scan is like an X-ray film, only much more detailed. A CT scan shows the pancreas and possible complications of pancreatitis in better detail than an X-ray film. A CT scan highlights inflammation or destruction of the pancreas. Occasionally an MRI is ordered.
Ultrasound is a very good imaging test to examine the gallbladder and the ducts connecting the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas with the small intestine.
Ultrasound is very good at depicting abnormalities in the biliary system, including gallstones and signs of inflammation or infection.
Ultrasound uses painless sound waves to create images of organs. Ultrasound is performed by gliding a small handheld device over the abdomen. The ultrasound emits sound waves that "bounce" off the organs and are processed by a computer to create an image. This technique is the same one that is used to look at a fetus in a pregnant woman.

Prevention;

• Stop all alcohol consumption.
• Adopt a liquid diet consisting of foods such as broth, gelatin, and soups. These simple foods may allow the inflammation process to get better.
• Over-the-counter pain medications may also help. Avoid pain medications that can affect the liver such as acetaminophen (Tylenol and others). In individuals with pancreatitis due to alcohol use, the liver is usually also affected by the alcohol.