Causes of Acute pancreatitis

[Blackheartednurse]

Recently I came across some very interesting and scary informations posted in one of the medical books that I recently purchased.It turns out that Lasix can cause acute pancreatitis!! Wow scary since the furosamide is such a popular med!! The other causes of acute pancreatitis vary froman the obvious gallstones,excessive alcohol intake to less obvious such as mumps,estrogen use associated with high lipids levels,hyperparathyroidism,and high level of calcium in the blood and kidney transplants,anyway I thought I can pass along this interesting medical information..

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

Years ago I was on Accutane and had to have labs off and on,I had a pretty elevated triglyceride level and the doc could tell I was kind of blowing it off. He then explained how it could cause pancreatitis if not quickly corrected. I was a brand new nurse but I knew very well the misery of pancreatitis from a few patients and I knew I didn't want any part of that. Thankfully my next triglyceride level was normal and I had no further issues.

I took care a of lady once with pancreatitis of unknown origen, no risk factors. She drew the really unlucky card and developed chronic pancreatitis, she would be going home on TPN & serious pain meds. The IV morphine gave her severe twitches so she hated to take it, but it seemed to be the best tolerated of all the narcotics they had tried. She was one of the more miserable people I ever met.

[Hushdawg]

You can also develop an acute case of pancreatitis from alcohol even if you have been "dry" for many years.

I was hospitalized with pancreatitis which the doctor had determined was cause from alcohol and I hadn't had a drop for more than four years.

When I pressed on this issue he informed me that it is not uncommon for things to build up and sit in the system for that kind of time frame like a ticking bomb.

Scary.

[oramar]

Then there is that genetic condition that causes it to arise in an other wise healthy teenager. We have clusters of families in Western Pa and West Virginia that carry the gene. We have researchers in the area that specialize in studying the condition.

[Zen123]

interesting. thanks!

[Atlas09]

You can also develop an acute case of pancreatitis from alcohol even if you have been "dry" for many years.

I was hospitalized with pancreatitis which the doctor had determined was cause from alcohol and I hadn't had a drop for more than four years.

When I pressed on this issue he informed me that it is not uncommon for things to build up and sit in the system for that kind of time frame like a ticking bomb.

Scary.

The pancreatitis may have been caused by damage done from drinking, but it wasn't from alcohol still in your system from 4 years ago. Either you misunderstood or he didn't know what he was talking about. The third leading cause of pancreatitis behind #1 alcohol/drugs and #2 Gallstones is #3 Unknown etiology, but some doctors are too arrogant to admit they don't know the exact cause when it doesn't really matter.

[Hushdawg]

The pancreatitis may have been caused by damage done from drinking, but it wasn't from alcohol still in your system from 4 years ago. Either you misunderstood or he didn't know what he was talking about.

No; sorry.. I should have been more specific. He was not claiming that there was still alcohol in my system from 4 years ago, rather that toxins from the alcohol had built up in the pancreas and were still there.

I postulated that a more likely scenario is that toxins were released from my fat cells since I had just spent a month in the desert and had shed quite a bit of weight; most of which put on from my insane crazy party days.

However, he shot that down.. *shrugs*

The third leading cause of pancreatitis behind #1 alcohol/drugs and #2 Gallstones is #3 Unknown etiology, but some doctors are too arrogant to admit they don't know the exact cause when it doesn't really matter.

Totally agree with your assessment.