Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. The most frequent causes include alcohol consumption and other factors. Additional triggers can be medications such as azathioprine, thiazides, metronidazole, and valproic acid, abdominal surgery, pancreatic and intestinal abnormalities, and infections like mumps. It typically starts with pain in the upper abdomen that can persist for several days. This pain might be sudden and severe or initially mild, worsening with food intake. The abdomen often becomes very tender, and other symptoms might include nausea, vomiting, and fever. Patients generally appear and feel quite ill. Chronic pancreatitis often results from years of alcohol abuse, leading to pain, difficulties in digesting food which can cause weight loss, and diabetes if the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (islet cells) are damaged.
