Pancreatitis – acute inflammation of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis) can be very mild and curable with diet within a few days, but it can also be a severe, life-threatening condition requiring hospital or even intensive care treatment.
It occurs at a rate of 1-5 cases/ 10000 people per year.
Common risk factors are gallstone disease, obesity, alcohol consumption and eating fatty foods. Less common risk factors are certain metabolic conditions, infections, circulatory disorders, genetic factors and autoimmune diseases.
Chronic pancreasinflammation (chronic pancreatitis) is a disease that causes constant or recurring abdominal pain and digestive problems, and even diabetes as a late symptom.
It occurs at a rate of 8 cases/100000 people per year.
It is most often triggered by regular alcohol consumption and by blockage of the duct of the pancreas, but certain metabolic conditions, infections, circulatory disorders, genetic factors and autoimmune diseases can also cause it.
