Acute pancreatitis: etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and therapy.
Acute pancreatitis is a relatively common disease that affects about 300,000 patients per annum in America with a mortality of about 7%. About 75% of pancreatitis is caused by gallstones or alcohol. Other important causes include hypertriglyceridemia, medication toxicity, trauma from endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, hypercalcemia, abdominal trauma, various infections, autoimmune, ischemia, and hereditary causes. In about 15% of cases the cause remains unknown after thorough investigation. This article discusses the causes, diagnosis, imaging findings, therapy, and complications of acute pancreatitis.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, William Beaumont Hospital, MOB 233, 3535 West Thirteen Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48073, USA. mscappell@yahoo.com
Mitchell S
MS
Cappell
D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D018529:Nutritional Support; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors
D000700:Analgesics