Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis

Causes

The vast majority of cases in the UK are caused by gallstones and alcohol.

Popular mnemonic is GET SMASHED

Gallstones
Ethanol
Trauma
Steroids
Mumps (other viruses include Coxsackie B)
Autoimmune (e.g. polyarteritis nodosa), Ascaris infection
Scorpion venom
Hypertriglyceridaemia, Hyperchylomicronaemia, Hypercalcaemia, Hypothermia
- Hyperchylomicronaemia may be caused by hereditary lipoprotein lipase deficiency and apolipoprotein CII deficiency. It predisposes to recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis
ERCP
Drugs (azathioprine, mesalazine^, didanosine, bendroflumethiazide, furosemide, pentamidine, steroids, sodium valproate)

“VAMP TFL”