Pancreatitis and diabetes are linked in two ways: damage to the pancreas can cause decreased insulin production leading to diabetes, and type II diabetes can cause increased demand on the pancreas leading to chronic pancreatitis. Preventative care is important for those with type II diabetes to avoid pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis and diabetes are known to be linked in at least two common ways. Since the pancreas is responsible for producing insulin in the body, any damage to this organ results in decreased insulin production. If a patient suffers from severe chronic bouts of pancreatitis, it may result in scarring of the pancreas or require removal of the organ. When the body is unable to produce enough insulin, diabetes often occurs.
On the other hand, type II diabetes has been recognized as one of the underlying causes of pancreatic inflammation. This condition creates an increased demand from the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. As a result, it can lead to chronic pancreatitis.
Inflammation of the pancreas, or pancreatitis, can be caused by several factors. Common causes of acute pancreatitis symptoms include gallstones, heavy drinking, and drug use. Although acute pancreatitis does not usually cause significant damage to the body’s insulin production, repeated attacks or failure to treat the condition can result in cumulative damage to the organ.
Chronic pancreatitis and diabetes are almost invariably linked. As the pancreas and islets of Langerhans are damaged, the resulting scar tissue prevents the organs from performing their functions of producing and delivering insulin. In some cases, pancreatic stones can also form, further damaging the organs and causing severe pain. When this happens, surgery to remove the pancreas results in type I diabetes, because the patient will no longer be able to produce insulin naturally.
Some data suggests that people diagnosed with type II diabetes are up to three times more likely to experience pancreatitis symptoms. Diabetic patients between the ages of 18 and 30 may be even more likely to develop pancreatitis and type I diabetes in the future. Because of the known link between pancreatitis and diabetes, medical science places a strong emphasis on preventative care during the early stages of type II diabetes.
It is important to understand that pancreatitis and diabetes are two separate conditions. One or the other condition can exist without the other, but one often precedes the other. As a result, patients diagnosed with type I diabetes are sometimes referred for pancreatitis diagnostic test procedures to rule out pancreatic disorders. A diagnosis that includes pancreatitis or diabetes may also be considered an indicator of the other condition’s possible existence on medical screening questionnaires.
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