What is Pancreatitis?

Acute pancreatitis is a serious inflammatory condition of the pancreas, often compared to a heart attack in terms of severity within the field of gastroenterology. It's considered a life-threatening illness, with mortality rates reported between 16% and 30% in medical literature. Due to its potential severity, patients diagnosed with pancreatitis must be closely monitored and typically require hospitalization for proper treatment. In more critical cases, intensive care unit (ICU) admission may be necessary to provide advanced life support.

The primary symptoms and diagnostic criteria of pancreatitis include:

Severe abdominal pain – One of the hallmark signs of pancreatitis is intense, persistent upper abdominal pain that often radiates to the back and does not subside easily.

Elevated amylase levels – Blood tests usually reveal significantly increased levels of amylase, typically three times higher than normal, within 6 to 24 hours after the onset of symptoms.

Characteristic imaging findings – Diagnostic tools such as abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect inflammation around the pancreas, including swelling, fluid accumulation, and in severe cases, pancreatic necrosis or tissue death.