Essay - Pancreatitis Definition of the Topic Pancreatitis is an Inflammation of...

Pancreatitis

***** of the topic

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the p*****creas. There are two primary forms of the disease, acute and chronic. Acute pancreatitis is a sudden unflammation of the pancreas that is almost always accompanied by abdominal pain ***** d*****comfort. The chronic form of pancreatitis continues to recur, and is usually the result of poor diet and/or alcohol abuse.

***** Pancreas ***** a gland that produces digestive enzymes. It is positioned behind the stomach. The ***** functions ***** secreting digestive ***** into the duodenum (upper part of the small intestine) through a sm*****ll tube called, apporpriately enough, ***** pancreatic duct. The enzymes of the pancreas aid in ***** digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. In addition, the pancreas ***** responsible for releasing the hormones insulin and glucagon, both of which ***** the body in using ***** glucose in foods.

***** Pancreatitis, the enzymes within the pancreas become active ***** begin to digest the ***** itself. These enzymes normally do not become ***** until they reach the small *****.

The acute from of the ***** manifests quickly and then resolves itself. Thechronic from is similar, but does not resolve ***** and slowly destroys the pancreas the longer the condition persists. In either case, there can be serious complications, iincluding bleeding, tissue damage and infection. Fluid ***** tissue debris ***** accumulate and form ***** pseudocysts ***** the organ. It is possible for the enzymes ***** ***** fluids to enter the bloodstream and ***** to damage o*****r organs, such as the heart, lungs ***** kidneys.

*****cidence/epidemiology

The following statistics have been provided by ***** National Institute ***** Healththrough the ***** Institute of National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (http:/digestive.niddk.nih.gov/*****/statistics.htm).The incidence of acute pancreatitis is 17 new cases per 100,000 people, according ***** figures ranging ***** 1976-1988.

As of 2002, there had been 3532 total deaths due to acute pancreatit*****. Also in 2002, there was 333,000 hospitalizations due to the ***** form of the disease, as opposed ***** 86,000 for chronic pancreatitis. In 1987 alone, there ***** also more than a million physician *****fice visits ascribed to pancreatitis, with roughly ninety percent of all visits being cases ***** acute pancreatitis.

***** is considered severe if it is accompanied ***** organ failure in one or ***** *****as, ***** pseudocysts appear, or in the case of pancreatic necrosis. One fifth of all ***** of acute pancreatitis are necrotiz*****g, meaning that some areas of nonviable parenchyma exist in the patient's pancreas, as well ***** ***** peripancreatic fat areas (Aronson 1999). However most patients have interstitial pancreatitis as ***** to necrotizing, which is milder.

Pathophysiology/signs ***** symptoms ***** rationale for each

The most obvious symptom is ***** in the abdomen. Cases ***** acute pancreatitis usually begins with pain in ***** upper abdomen which will persist for a few days.

The pain may remain centralized on the abdomen, or could spread to other areas (such as the back). Chronic *****s do not always result in intense or constant pain, so the ***** form of