PANCREATITIS

Course overview

ACUTE PANCREATITIS IS AN ACUTE RESPONSE TO INJURY OF THE PANCREAS. CHRONIC PANCREATITIS CAN RESULT IN PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND ENDOCRINE AND EXOCRINE FUNCTIONS OF THE PANCREAS. IN THE UNITED STATES, ABOUT 200,000 HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS ANNUALLY ARE DUE TO ACUTE PANCREATITIS, AND THIS NUMBER HAS BEEN INCREASING. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE IT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.