Acute pancreatitis is categorized as mild, moderate, or severe pancreatitis, with a low mortality rate in mild cases and a mortality rate of about 30% in severe cases with shock or multiple organ failure.
In developed countries, about 20% of patients develop moderate or severe acute pancreatitis with pancreatic necrosis or peripancreatic tissue or organ failure, and the mortality rate is as high as 20% to 40%.
In China, mild disease usually recovers within 1 to 2 weeks, with a low case fatality rate (no specific data); the case fatality rate of severe disease increases according to the severity of the accompanying symptoms, and the case fatality rate of those with severe disease accompanied by shock or multiple organ failure is as high as 30%.
Risk factors for the disease include biliary tract diseases, alcohol consumption, duodenal reflux, metabolic diseases, tumors, and trauma, etc. Daily triggers include binge drinking (especially high protein and high fat diets, and excessive alcohol consumption).
The treatment of this disease is mainly based on fasting, gastrointestinal decompression, rehydration, prevention and treatment of shock, analgesia and antispasmodic, nutritional support, and antibiotic application. Acute pancreatitis with complications such as perforation, hemorrhage, and necrosis of surrounding tissues requires surgical treatment.
Acute pancreatitis is a disease with a high mortality rate, which should be taken seriously, and should be treated in a timely manner and under the guidance of a physician to avoid serious consequences.