Introduction of the Disease
The pancreas is a vital organ in the body and has two main functions. The pancreas is not only the organ that regulates blood sugar by releasing insulin, but it also plays a vital role in digestion. The endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas work in conjunction with the rest of the body to allow everyday functioning to occur. Pancreatitis however, (inflammation of the pancreas) manifests itself in two forms, acute or chronic. Croghan (2014) details the process as ranging from mild edema to a severe hemorrhage (Croghan, 2014. Pg. 1030). With 210,000 people being affected each year in the United States, Pancreatitis possesses a major health risk to the population at large.
Common risk factors/causes/patho
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Gallstones are more common in women and are the predominant cause of pancreatitis. While the etiology for men is mostly dependent on chronic alcohol consumption which in return leads to chronic pancreatitis (Croghan, 2014. Pg. 1030). Pancreatitis occurs accompanied by the formation of biliary sludge. Croghan (2014) describes biliary sludge or microlithiasis as a mixture of cholesterol crystals and calcium salts. This occurs in conjunction with bile stasis. Biliary sludge is found in 20-40% of patients with acute pancreatitis (Croghan, 2014, pg. 1030). Other causes of the disease are attributed to, hypertriglyceridemia, trauma and viral infection, duodenal ulcer, Kaposi sarcoma, cystic fibrosis, metabolic disorders and vascular disease. However, hypertriglyceridemia is the most common cause. Hypertriglyceridemia occurs when serum levels exceed 1000 mg/dL (Croghan, 2014, pg. 1030). Developing pancreatitis often is dependent on a set of particular risk factors. These include smoking, drinking and a high fat …show more content…
1031). During a physical assessment of the patient a health care provider might find, tenderness upon palpating the abdomen accompanied by guarding by the patient, and also a decrease in bowel sounds and abdominal distention. Some of the other clinical manifestations that Croghan (2104) include; crackles in the lungs, a yellowish/brown tent to the abdomen, Grey Turner's Spots and Cullens sing (Croghan, 2014, pg.
ABDOMEN: The lung basis appeared unremarkable. The liver, spleen, gallbladder, adrenals, kidneys and pancreas and abdominal aorta appeared unremarkable. The bowels seen on the study appeared thickened. Dilated appendix seen constant with acute appendicitis. Osseous structures of the abdomen appeared unremarkable. No free air was seen.
Acute Pancreatitis: Acute inflammation of the pancreas.The most common pathogenic mechanism is autodigestion of the pancreas. The etiological factor injures pancreatic cells or activates the pancreatic enzymes in the pancreas rather than in the intestine which may be due to reflux of bile acids into the pancreatic duct through an open or distended sphincter of Oddi. The result may also be caused by blockage created by a gallstone. Obstruction of pancreatic ducts results in pancreatic ischemia.The pathophysiology involvement of acute pancreatitis is
“Each year, acute pancreatitis sends more than 200,000 Americans to the hospital. Many of those who suffer from pancreatic problems are also heavy drinkers” (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol's Impact Your Health” 15). The pancreas is an important organ which aids in digestions and energy conversion. The pancreas directs enzymes to the small intestine to digest nutrients and it also secretes insulin and glucagon. The body’s main source of energy is glucose and insulin allows additional glucose to be stored away in the body properly. Too much alcohol damages cells in the pancreas, causing complications with insulin, leaving the organ open to inflammation. Alcohol causes the pancreas to discharge the enzymes intended for the small intestine back into the pancreas which can lead to inflammation and the swelling of tissues and blood vessels. Pancreatitis is the inflammation which causes the organ to malfunction and if one continues to drink, it can magnify into chronic pancreatitis when the inflammation is constant (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol's Impact Your Health” 15-16). Pancreatitis causing severe abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, and is not curable. Sixty-percent of circumstances result from alcohol; although, some have been linked to gallstones (Freeman).
The pancreas is an organ in the abdomen that sits before the spine over the level of the belly button. It performs two important things. First off, it makes insulin, a hormone that regulates glucose levels; secondly, it makes compounds which help separate proteins. The chemicals help digestion by breaking proteins into littler parts so they can be all the more effortlessly digested by the body and utilized for vitality. Proteins leave the pancreas through an arrangement of tubes called "ducts" that associate the pancreas to the digestion systems. The pancreas sits somewhere down in the stomach and is in close vicinity to numerous important structures, for example, the small intestine (the duodenum) and the bile pipes, and in addition critical veins and nerves.
The disease can also result in various obstructions of the pancreas, hindering digestion (World Health Organization, 2012, p.5).
Another factor is rapid weight loss. As the body metabolizes fat during rapid weight loss, it causes the liver to secrete extra cholesterol into bile, which can cause gallstones.
Type 2 Diabetes, unlike people with Type 1 Diabetes are able to make insulin. To enhance our understanding of Type 2 Diabetes, knowing what Diabetes is crucial. When a person has diabetes; the body either does not make enough insulin or cannot use his or her own insulin properly, causing glucose (sugar) to build up in the body. It is the seventh leading cause of death in United States in 2010. In this paper, I provide an overview of the function of pancreas in controlling the sugar level in the human body and the function of insulin and glucagon hormones in the pancreatic process. I also present an anatomy of the human pancreas. Finally, I review the signs and symptoms, causes, treatments,
Many individuals do not know where the pancreas is located in the body or what the function is or have knowledge that they even have one. The pancreas is a digestive exocrine gland as it secretes enzymes for the process of digesting food and also an endocrine gland as it produces hormones such as insulin to regulate blood sugar
Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory process ranging from mild abdominal discomfort to severe disease involving multiple organ systems. Diagnosis is based on the presence of at least two of the following three features: abdominal pain; increased pancreatic amylase, and/or lipase levels to ≥3 times the upper limit of normal; and imaging tests showing characteristic findings of acute pancreatitis. The incidence of acute pancreatitis is known to differ geographically due to differences in alcohol consumption or in the incidence of gallstones disease in different parts of the world. Cholelithiasis is the leading cause of acute pancreatitis
The pancreas is a vital part of the digestive system and a critical controller of blood sugar levels.
The pancreas is an organ mainly involved in process as digestions and the synthesis of hormones, and as all the others tissues in our body, it can develop cancer. Actually, pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer, either because of the symptoms that only appears at a late stage of the disease, the hard diagnosis and the high chances of metastasis.The symptoms associated with the pancreatic cancer are not specific, such lack of appetite, abdominal ache and weight loss. The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is hard because the pancreas is located in not favorable position for exams to scan and detect its presence. Pancreatic cancer can also metastasize to other tissues, but mainly to liver tissues and it actually happens before
Pancreatic cancer occurs when build up of cancerous cells develop within the tissues of the pancreas. The build up of those cells can go on undetected for quite some time before pain or any symptoms show themselves. Also some of the pains can be mistaken for symptoms of some other less severe conditions. The pancreas is the organ that produces digestive juices and hormones that regulate blood sugar. Cells called exocrine pancreas cells produce the digestive juices, while cells called endocrine pancreas cells produce the hormones. The majority of pancreatic cancers start in the exocrine cells (WebMD, 2015). Pancreatic cancer is the cause of the 4th most cancer deaths in the United States of American with a median of six or less months and a 5-year survival rate of 4.6% (Sarkar, 2007). That’s something that was news to me but pancreatic cancer is only behind lung and bronchial cancer, colon and rectal cancer, and breast cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer is a form of cancer in which malignant cancer cells invade the pancreas, a gland that produces digestive fluid and hormones that regulate blood sugar. There are two types of pancreatic cancer: exocrine and endocrine cancer. The malignant cells can infiltrate either the exocrine pancreatic cells, responsible for digestive fluid, or the endocrine pancreatic cells, responsible for regulatory hormones. If the pancreas’ exocrine cells are affected metabolic functions are slowed or stopped completely. Thus, this results in death. If the endocrine cells of the pancreas are affected hormones such as Insulin are unable to be produced and the bodies organs will shut down. Pancreatic Cancer usually begins in the exocrine cells and moves into the endocrine cells (Movva). Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells are mutated from genetic dispositions or detrimental behavioral habits. These mutated cells metastasize to form a tumor. Pancreatic cancer can afflict anyone, However, it is more common in those of African American descent, those with excessive body weights, and those who partake in risky behavioral habits. Pancreatic cancer is an incredibly lethal disease.
Chronic pancreatitis is a continuous inflammatory disorder that is characterized by permanent damage to pancreatic structure and exocrine function. The condition is usually progressive. Symptoms such as vomiting and discomfort after eating may occur intermittently, sometimes accompanied by depression, loss of appetite, and weight loss. In some cases, signs may be as subtle. Chronic pancreatitis may periodically flare up, resulting in acute pancreatitis(Shell, Pg 4).
The main function of the pancreas is maintaining blood glucose levels to about 70-150 milligrams per decilitre. The pancreas does this by measuring if the blood sugar level is too high or low, if it is not the correct level then a hormone is released. If the blood sugar level is too high insulin is released from the beta cells and causes glucose to enter body cells to be used for energy but sometimes can stimulate glucose to turn to glycogen in the liver. However, if it is too low then glucogen is released into the blood which causes the stored glycogen in the liver to break down