Exacerbation of Pancreatitis during the New Year holidays, alas, has become a traditional problem. As a rule, those who did not take into account the “preferences” of the pancreas in the holiday menu suffer. An abundance of fatty foods and alcohol is not at all conducive to the health of this important organ.

What is pancreatitis and why is it dangerous?

The pancreas is an important organ of the human body, which plays a significant role in the processes of digestion and metabolism. In addition to secreting pancreatic juice, which is involved in digestion, the pancreas produces hormones (such as insulin) that regulate carbohydrate and fat metabolism. The pancreas is located behind the stomach, for which it received the appropriate name.

Inflammation of the pancreas, which is called pancreatitis, leads to the fact that it begins to “digest” … itself. Because of this, necrosis (death) of cells, entire fragments, or even the entire gland begins.

If the patient survives, scars and cysts form at the site of necrosis, replacing the damaged areas. Without the pancreas, the human body cannot function; replacement therapy with insulin and pancreatic enzymes is required. Often an attack of pancreatitis ends in the death of the patient.

Mortality due to pancreatitis, according to various sources, ranges from 5 to 30% of all cases of severe forms of this disease. The insidiousness of pancreatitis is also that it is impossible to predict the direction of its development. This is a disease that we always treat after, trying to stop the cascade of inflammatory and enzymatic processes that lead to terrible complications. Sometimes fulminant forms of pancreatitis develop, in which a person dies within a few days, even against the backdrop of a full range of modern treatment.

Causes of pancreatitis

Alcohol

Chronic and regular alcohol consumption creates a “fertile” ground for the possible development of pancreatitis. Moreover, the risk of developing this disease increases even with the use of 60 g of alcohol per day or more.

Cholelithiasis

Gallstones can cause the development of the so-called biliary pancreatitis.

The liver produces Bile, which is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder. Normally, in response to food stimuli, bile from the gallbladder moves through the bile ducts and enters the duodenum.

If for any reason the normal flow of bile is disturbed or becomes impossible, it can be thrown into the pancreatic duct. Because of this, pressure increases inside the gland duct, which leads to rupture of small ducts, bile entering the pancreatic tissue and damage to its cells by active bile acids. The rupture of small ducts also causes the secretion of digestive enzymes into the thickness of the gland, their activation by bile and the start of the process of “self-digestion” of the pancreas.

Among the many risk factors for the development of gallstone disease are hereditary predisposition, genetic characteristics, female sex, age. In addition, the causes of stone formation are overweight or a sharp decrease in it, changes in the lipid spectrum, diabetes mellitus, low physical activity, certain medications, a high-calorie diet, concomitant diseases (for example, cirrhosis of the liver).

Vodka, salad and… pancreatitis?

The usual situation that accompanies attacks of pancreatitis is a long and plentiful feast.

The pancreas is simply forced to work at its limit in order to process food and alcohol. It releases a shock dose of juice, because of this, the pressure in the ducts rises, the cells of the pancreas rupture. Enzymes that were supposed to digest food begin to literally eat the tissue of the pancreas.

Another scenario: alcohol and heavy meals can lead to the “movement” of stones in the gallbladder and cause a spasm of the sphincter apparatus. This leads to a violation of the flow of bile and pancreatic juice.

The result is biliary pancreatitis.

Very often, an acute attack of pancreatitis can provoke the development of a chronic form of the disease, in which irreversible changes progress throughout a person’s life. According to some researchers, the reverse sequence of events is also possible: acute inflammation occurs against the background of already existing changes characteristic of chronic pancreatitis.

Both forms of this insidious disease require the patient to completely give up alcohol and stop smoking. In addition, it is necessary to adhere to a lifelong diet, the individual characteristics of which must be discussed with the doctor.

General principles of nutrition for patients after pancreatitis:

Avoid carbonated and iced drinks;

Eliminate ground coffee (with and without caffeine);

Substances formed during the roasting of coffee have a pronounced stimulating effect on the digestive system.

Hydrogenated fats, which are made from vegetable oils (such as margarine), should be avoided;

Such fats require significantly more bile to emulsify (mix fats with water) and more lipase (pancreatic enzyme) to break them down. Hydrogenated fats are widely used in bakery and confectionery industries because they are cheaper and help extend the shelf life of products.

Fatty, fried, smoked foods should be avoided;

Exclude the use of marinades and mushrooms;

With symptoms of secretory pancreatic insufficiency, the doctor may recommend the use of enzyme preparations and proton pump inhibitors (drugs that suppress the production of hydrochloric acid by the gastric mucosa).

Symptoms of pancreatitis

As a rule, the first symptoms of pancreatitis appear within the first 2 days after drinking alcohol and a heavy meal. Sometimes the attack begins almost instantly.

You should immediately call an ambulance if:

I started experiencing intense pain in my upper abdomen. She can give in the back or encircle, as if squeezing with a hoop;

pain may be accompanied by severe nausea and vomiting.

Before the arrival of the ambulance team, you can drink a drug from a number of antispasmodics (no-shpa, drotaverine, papaverine). But no more! In no case should you apply a hot heating pad to your stomach!

Prevention of pancreatitis.

In order for the New Year’s, and indeed any other, feast not to end in a hospital bed, experts recommend being moderate and responsible for your health:

do not abuse alcohol. Not on holidays, not in everyday life;

do not lean on fatty and high-calorie foods. Especially those who fasted sin with this. During fasting, our body gets used to a certain set of products, and when you sharply load the pancreas, like the entire digestive system, it simply cannot cope with the load;

regularly examined for the presence of stones in the gallbladder (ultrasound of the abdominal cavity). If they are found, they must be removed, and it is better to do this in a planned manner. In 30-60% of cases of biliary pancreatitis, gallstones can cause a second attack.

If you still overeat, you can take drugs that contain digestive enzymes (mezim, creon, pancreatin). They will help to cope with the digestion of excess holiday treats. However, it is impossible to take them constantly, without a doctor’s prescription. This can lead to the fact that the body gets used to getting the necessary digestive enzymes from the outside and stops producing them in sufficient quantities.

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