Acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas. The primary symptom is severe, sudden pain in the upper abdomen. Other symptoms may include nausea and vomiting.1
Why is it serious?
Acute pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening condition. If left untreated, it can lead to recurrent episodes, which may result in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic insufficiency.2
What causes acute pancreatitis?3
Gallstones: 46% of cases
Other causes: 22% of cases
Excessive Alcohol Consumption: 22% of cases
High Triglyceride Levels: The third most common cause: 10%
How high triglyceride levels can lead to pancreatitis
Pancreatitis can be a complication of severely high triglyceride levels. When triglyceride levels in the blood become too high, they can trigger inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).The risk of developing pancreatitis increases as triglyceride levels rise.4
Understanding the risk levels
At triglyceride levels below 885 mg/dL (approx. 10 mmol/L), the risk of pancreatitis is low.
However, individual differences exist. Some patients may develop pancreatitis when their triglyceride levels rise above 1000 mg/dL (approx. 11.3 mmol/L), while others may have different threshold levels.5,6
Find out more about triglyceridesThe pancreas is responsible for:1
Producing hormones (including insulin) to regulate blood sugar.
Producing a digestive fluid with enzymes that help break down food in the intestines.
The pancreas is therefore essential for digestion.
Preventing pancreatic inflammation caused by High Triglycerides
Key prevention measures
To reduce the risk of pancreatic inflammation caused by high triglyceride levels, it is crucial to keep triglyceride levels in the blood from rising excessively.7,8
This can be achieved by:
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Taking medication, if necessary
Recognizing symptoms
Pancreatic inflammation does not present typical symptoms. Patients may have increased triglyceride levels with diffuse, undefined abdominal pain. Symptoms often worsen after eating and can take several days or weeks to subside. Treatment includes pain medication and avoiding food intake until symptoms resolve.
Did you know?
Acute pancreatitis can quickly become worse and pose a life-threatening risk. If symptoms persist, a doctor or hospital should be consulted.
Long-Term Effects of Recurrent Inflammation
Recurrent inflammation can cause permanent damage to the pancreas, leading to chronic pain. Since the pancreas produces hormones like insulin, regulates blood sugar, and supports digestion, organ damage can result in:2,9
Loss of insulin production, increasing the risk of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
Severe digestive disorders with pain and diarrhea due to reduced digestive enzymes
References
- Pancreatitis Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment. Available at: https://www.ezmedlearning.com/pancreatitis-causes-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment
- Davidson M et al., The burden of familial chylomicronemia syndrome: Results from the global IN-FOCUS studyJ Clin Lipidol 2018;12(4):898–907.e2.
- NCEPOD: Treat the cause. Avaliable at www.ncepod.org.uk/2016ap.html
- Valdivielso P, Ramírez-Bueno A, Ewald N. Current knowledge of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis. Eur J Intern Med. 2014 Oct;25(8):689-94.
- Moulin P, et al. Identification and diagnosis of patients with familial chylomicronaemia syndrome (FCS): Expert panel recommendations and proposal of an ”FCS score”. Atherosclerosis. 2018;275:265-72
- Laufs U, et al. Clinical review on triglycerides. European Heart Journal (2020) 41, 99–109
- Williams L, et al. Familial chylomicronemia syndrome: Bringing to life dietary recommendations throughout the life span. J Clin Lipidol. 2018; 12:908–19
- Burnett JR, Hooper AJ, Hegele RA. Familial Lipoprotein Lipase Deficiency. 1999 Oct 12 [Updated 2017 Jun 22]. In: Adam MP, Mirzaa GM, Pagon RA, et al., editors. GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1308/
- Canadian Digestive Health Foundation. Pancreatitis – Symptoms. Available at: https://cdhf.ca/en/digestive-conditions/pancreatitis/
Triglycerides - What are they?
Triglycerides make up the majority of dietary fats and serve as a vital energy source for your body. When you consume more calories than your body needs, these extra calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat tissue.
Hypertriglyceridemia - signs & symptoms
Severely high triglyceride levels are associated with a broad spectrum of non-specific symptoms. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to get your triglyceride levels tested.
Causes of high triglyceride levels
High triglyceride levels, also known as hypertriglyceridemia, indicate a disorder of fat metabolism. This can have multiple causes…