What is pancreatitis and how is it dangerous? Find the answer here!

For many patients, pancreatitis and danger are synonymous. This initially inflammatory disease of the pancreas can lead to complicated processes that will cause disability or death. True, this requires the emergence of certain conditions. Understanding the mechanism of formation and the nature of the lesions carried out will make it possible to understand what the real danger of pancreatitis is and how it can be avoided.

About the disease

Pancreatitis is a rather serious disease with an inflammatory nature. It affects and damages an organ such as the pancreas, but it is not limited to bringing it into an abnormal state.

Important! The onset of inflammation occurs due to the fact that pathological foreign formations (usually stones, but may be of a different nature) block the path of gastric juice and enzymes for excretion intestines. As you know, the main "job" of enzymes is to digest food, and gastric juice helps to do this. As a result, digestion begins in the tissues of the pancreas, that is, the organ itself is exposed to it.

It turns out that due to inflammation and delay of enzymes in the pancreatic area, the body begins to "eat" itself. This is already a pathology, fraught with numerous painful consequences, but the harm done is not limited to it. In search of a way out and "food", enzymes penetrate the blood vessels located around the pancreas. And this leads to disability and lethality, since the process of carrying enzymes through the circulatory system is irreversible.

Symptoms

The totality of the symptoms of pancreatitis is ambiguous, since each patient has manifestations that are different from others. It depends on the patient's body, his physiological data, the degree of the disease and its neglect, and many other factors.

By the way. Progressive pancreatitis can cause excruciating pain, or it can go away almost painlessly, but be accompanied, for example, by severe nausea. Stool may be disturbed, both in the direction of dilution and vice versa. Signs are similar to many gastric and intestinal ailments, making early pancreatitis difficult to diagnose.

The most common signs are called:

• intense nausea that occurs after consuming foods that are harmful;
• impulsive repetitive vomiting;
• persistent feeling of a heavy stomach and a full intestine;
• the epigastric region experiences pain sensations of varying strength;
• the stool is disturbed;
• digestion can be disturbed throughout any part of the process.

This is what patients usually complain about when they are diagnosed with pancreatitis at one stage or another. But the commonality of symptoms with other pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract forces us to carry out differential diagnostics and pay attention to the signs that complement the clinical picture:

• decreased appetite or abnormal changes in it;
• tangible weight loss in the absence of obvious reasons;
• constantly tormenting the patient with belching or heartburn;
• flatulence that is present almost all the time, caused by excessive formation of gases in the intestine;
• high or regularly rising temperature;
• possible icteric changes in the sclera and yellowing of the skin.

By the way. The use of any products from the "prohibited" list increases the symptoms, both additional and basic. This is due to the fact that the inflamed pancreas does not independently produce healthy enzymes, and abnormal neoplasms (calculi) block their entry from the outside. Complications of various kinds are formed throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract.

Development reasons and types

Why does pancreatitis develop? Where does inflammation come from? It provokes the development, mainly, of the patient's lifestyle, plus the diseases he has. The most important factors are fatty foods and alcohol. These are two main catalysts that are present in the life of almost every modern adult. The following are considered the causes of inflammation.

1. Regular abuse of alcoholic beverages.
   

   Alcohol abuse is one of the causes of pancreatitis

2. Frequent or long-term smoking.
3. Constant overeating.
4. Obesity or pre-obesity.
5. Eating on a regular basis and in large quantities of smoked foods, fatty foods, salted and spicy, as well as cooked by frying.
6. Environmental factors that affect negatively.
7. Pathological conditions of the biliary system.
   

   Classification of diseases of the biliary tract

8. Tumor-like formations in the pancreas itself or near it.
9. Pathological conditions of the liver.
10. Taking antibiotics or other strong medications on an ongoing basis.
11. Any abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract.
12. Total poisoning of the body.

Varieties

By types or varieties, pancreatitis is divided into several categories, each of which has an acute and chronic form. The latter can be both recurrent and non-recurrent.

By the way. The main danger, the most serious, is the calculous type of pancreatitis, in which calculi (foreign bodies located along the entire duct) are formed. This type is fraught with self-digestion of the gland due to blockage of enzymes, damage to adjacent tissues and the entire circulatory system.

Acute form

Has characteristics different from chronic. It develops more rapidly, accompanied by acute pain attacks. With this form, the temperature rises, almost certainly the patient will have vomiting, intestinal disturbances and pain.

Important! At the onset of an attack of acute pancreatitis, if it is not stopped in time, intoxication soon sets in, the patient's body becomes dehydrated. In this situation, hospitalization is necessary, and urgent, so an ambulance is called.

Chronic form

It arises in two forms - as the consequences of the transferred disease in an acute form (if it is not completely cured), or as an independent pathology. It is characterized by the fact that it does not manifest itself for a long time and may not give obvious symptoms. Discomfort and pain in the chronic form are moderate and not permanent, therefore, patients most often do not go to the doctor, or do not go right away.

Advice. An exacerbation of the chronic form of pancreatitis can occur after a "stormy" and plentiful feast and subside in a remission state before the arrival of the following irritating factors. Do not blame the unpleasant sensations and symptoms found on the fact that the day before you had too much “fun”, took a lot of alcohol or overeat, hoping that everything will pass - go to the doctor and get checked.

Table. Types according to the degree of development of the disease.

Type (degree)	Characteristics
Mild degree	Symptoms are mild. The patient's discomfort is minimal. If you start treatment in a timely manner, pathological destruction will not have time to occur in the pancreas, it will restore its functions, and the pathology will not affect other organs and systems.
Average degree	Symptoms are more intense, especially when the combined effect of the factors due to which the disease occurs is felt. The patient's condition, from more or less comfortable, can rapidly deteriorate to requiring hospitalization.
Moderately severe	Only surgery can help here, since changes in the organ of the pancreas occur so quickly that its destruction can only be prevented surgically. The patient suffers from complete indigestion, suffers from vomiting, pain, has a fever.
Severe degree	There is no digestive function, the whole body is affected and cannot function normally, changes in the pancreas are irreversible. This stage is inoperable, since pancreatic necrosis is rapidly developing.

Thus, the earlier the patient comes for diagnosis, the more chances he has to be cured and restore the functioning of the pancreas in a normal volume, avoiding painful consequences.

Possible consequences

The first thing a patient encounters when experiencing an acute form of pancreatitis is severe pain, which is unbearable to endure. At this time, the following happens in the gland.

1. The tissues of the pancreas and adjacent organs split and disintegrate.
2. All organs and systems in contact with enzymes are damaged.
   

   Pain in chronic pancreatitis

3. Enzymes that are in a state of activity and cannot pass into the intestines absorb (digest) any tissue they find.
4. Then "aggressive" enzymes through the bloodstream disperse throughout the body, taking with them the damaged cells of the pancreas.
5. The inflammatory process in this situation can begin at any time and in any organ, even in the brain.
6. Multiple organ failure may develop, in which toxins take over the entire body, spreading through the blood.

In such a clinical situation, the patient's life is at risk if the necessary measures are not taken immediately.

1. Sepsis may develop.
2. Bleeding occurs in the organs.
3. To form peritonitis.
4. The patient may go into a state of shock.
5. Death is likely.

But it would be an absolute mistake to consider that the chronic form does not pose a danger. First, a chronic ailment in itself can be a complicated acute form, if you do not follow the recommendations or do not receive sufficient treatment. Secondly, during chronicity, irritating and damaging factors are constantly present in the body. The gland, although slower, still collapses. This causes repeated attacks, including acute ones. Thirdly, the chronic process of inflammation in the pancreas is a favorable background for diabetes and oncology, sepsis and intestinal obstruction, renal failure, liver problems, purulent formations, spleen thrombosis and pancreatic necrosis.

By the way. The pancreas, gradually collapsing, will fail at some point. And without its normal work, there is no digestive process, therefore, the activity of the whole organism is disrupted. In addition, the calculous variety turns into a malignant pathology in half of the cases.

Treatment and prevention

In addition to physiology, the psychological sphere also experiences complications. A person is constantly in a state of discomfort, fears and experiences gastronomic and other life restrictions. He becomes depressed, life becomes passive and loses quality. Therefore, it is necessary to treat both acute and chronic pancreatitis.

The acute form requires immediate medical attention. An ambulance is called for the patient, which takes him to a medical facility for hospitalization in order to carry out an operation. How quickly things happen, life can depend on it.

For the treatment of the chronic form, drug therapy is sufficient, as a rule. But in rare cases, surgical intervention is also possible in order to completely and permanently eliminate the existing problem.

In the presence of calculi, they are removed, the inflammation is stopped by antibiotics, antispasmodics, analgesics and hormones are given, and infusion therapy is performed.

To prevent relapses during long-term treatment of the chronic form, prevention is necessary.

All factors that can provoke an exacerbation are excluded. The patient follows a diet, leads a healthy life and refuses to drink alcohol.

Video - What is the danger of pancreatitis

Video - Pancreatitis