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Chronic Pancreatitis Causes & Risks

Causes

Chronic pancreatitis results from prolonged injury to the pancreas, usually caused by prolonged alcohol abuse. Other causes include:

  • Trauma
  • Pseudocysts (accumulation of fluids and debris)
  • Heredity
  • Congenital conditions (eg, pancreas divisum)
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Hypercalcemia (high blood levels of calcium)
  • Hyperlipidemia or hypertriglyceridemia (high levels of blood fats)
  • Medications
  • Autoimmune conditions

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.

Factors that may increase your risk of chronic pancreatitis include:

  • Gender: male
  • Age: late teens to mid-twenties (for alcohol-induced)
  • Age: over 50 (for cases of no known cause)
  • Heavy alcohol consumption
  • Smoking
  • Family history of hyperparathyroidism associated with chronic pancreatitis

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