Update on acute pancreatitis

Abstract

Acute Pancreatitis is one of the most common gastrointestinal deseases, wich occurs between 13 to 45 people per 100,000 inhabitants. This entity refers to inflammation of the pancreas for different reasons, which can be an edematous interstitial inflammation of the peripancreatic organ and tissue without necrotic tissue, as happens in most cases of approximately 80%. The other 20% corresponds to severe cases where local complications such as necrotic tissue, abscesses and infections are found or where it culminates in multi-organ failure due to a Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). The 2 main causes of Acute Pancreatitis ate gallstones and alcohol consumption, however there are other less common causes such as hipertriglyceridemia, post ERCP, certain drugs and some circumstances idiopathic. To make the diagnosis, 2 of the following 3 criteria are required Characteristic abdominal pain, serum levels of amylase and/or lipase with an elevation greater than 3 times the normal levels, and typical findings of acute pancreatitis in abdominal imaging tests. In order to correctly classify it and identify its complications, different severity scales have been created, which have been improved over the years. The medical management of this pathology is based on adequate fluid resuscitation, pain treatment preferably with opiates and pancreatic rest, initially keeping the patient without anything by mouth, while searching for the underlying cause for its correct management.