Pancreatitis:Inflammationof thepancreas. Of the many causes of pancreatitis, the most common arealcoholconsumptionand gallstones. Other causes include medications (azathioprine,estrogen, thiazides,metronidazole,valproic acid, andtetracycline),trauma,abdominalsurgery, abnormalities of the pancreas andintestine, and infections such as mumps. Acute pancreatitis usually begins with paininthe upperabdomen这可能持续几天。的painmay be sudden and intense, or it may begin as a mild pain that is aggravated by eating and slowly grows worse. The abdomen may be very tender. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and fever. Thepatientoften feels and looks very sick. Chronic pancreatitis usually follows many years of alcohol abuse and may cause pain;malabsorptionoffood, leading to weight loss; and diabetes, if theinsulin-producing cells of the pancreas (islet cells) are damaged.
