Severe acute pancreatitis

Abstract

Objective: Addressing acute pancreatitis with emphasis on its severe form. Bibliographic review: Acute Pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas caused by inadequate activation of pancreatic enzymes and release of a series of inflammatory cytokines. Pancreatitis has several etiologies, the most common being biliary lithiasic disease and alcohol abuse. It has a variable clinical presentation that can range from a mild to a severe condition with necrosis of the organ and adjacent tissues, which is potentially fatal. The diagnosis is clinical, and laboratory and imaging tests may also be used to confirm and monitor the disease. There are several ways of classifying pancreatitis, the classification based on the Atlanta criteria being currently the most used. Treatment varies according to the degree of severity of the disease, and may be clinical or surgical in more complex cases. Final considerations: Early diagnosis and adequate classification of the disease are two fundamental points in patient management, with the aim of establishing the best treatment for each case, avoiding an unfavorable outcome for the patient as much as possible.