Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology Study Guide

©2018 of 131 alcoholism, gallstones, abdominal surgery, cigarette smoking, cystic fibrosis, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, a family history of pancreatitis, hypercalcemia, hypertriglyceridemia, pancreatic cancer, and injury to the abdomen. Symptoms of pancreatitis include pain in the upper abdomen radiating to the neck, worsening pain in the abdomen after eating, nausea, vomiting, steatorrhea, and unintended weight loss. Endocrine The endocrine function of the pancreas is characterized by the creation and release of islet cells that act as vital hormones in the bloodstream. These hormones help regulate blood sugar. There are two main hormones, insulin and glucagon. The former helps to lower blood sugar, while the latter helps raise the level of blood sugar. It is important that blood sugar is maintained at normal levels as it helps in the proper functioning of the brain, liver, and kidneys. An endocrine disorder of the pancreas is diabetes mellitus. It refers to the group of diseases characterized by the manner in which the body uses the level of sugar or glucose in the bloodstream. Glucose is a vital ingredient necessary for energy and development of muscles and tissues. It is also an important source of energy for the brain. In cases of diabetes, the amount of glucose in the blood increases beyond the normal level and has the potential to cause serious health issues. When glucose enters the body from food intake, it is absorbed in the bloodstream and enters cells with the help of the insulin hormone secreted by the pancreas. The liver is also a good source of glucose and in cases where the body experiences low levels of sugar from inadequate food intake, the liver breaks down the stored glycogen and forms glucose to keep the blood sugar within normal range. Diabetes mellitus can be of two types, type 1 and type 2. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not known, but it is associated with abnormal functioning of the immune system whereby the immune system of the body attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This leads to lack of insulin and sugar is not transported in the cells, instead building up in the blood. In contrast, in cases of type 2 diabetes, the body cells become resistant to the functioning of insulin and the pancreas is not able to produce adequate insulin to combat this resistance. This also leads to the formation of insulin in the blood. Type 1 diabetes is commonly developed in childhood, while type 2 diabetes is more prominent after 40 years of age. Risk Factors The risk factors for type 1 diabetes include a family history of type 1 diabetes, exposure to viral illness, presence of diabetes auto-antibodies, inadequate diet intake (like lower consumption of vitamin D), early exposure to cow milk and exposure to cereal in infants before four months of age, and certain geographical regions like Finland and Sweden are known to have high rates of type 1 diabetes. In contrast, the risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity; inactivity; a family history of type 2 diabetes; race, including black, Hispanics, American-Indians and Asian-Americans; older age; gestational diabetes; hypertension; lower levels of high-density lipoprotein and higher levels of triglycerides. Achieve Page 119