Question

What is pancreatitis and what is the basic mechanism that underlies the condition?

Answer 1

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that may be caused by years of heavy consumption of alcohol of gall stones. The pancreas plays major important roles such as secreting digestive juices into the small intestines, which help to digest fats, proteins, and the carbohydrates in food. It also release hormones insulin and glucagon that regulate the blood sugar. Pancreatitis is characterized by a pancreas being inflamed, therefore when this happens the body's normal complex coordination is disrupted and the enzymes in the pancreas are prematurely activated before they exit the organ, which results in these enzymes digesting the pancreatic tissue.