Korean Journal of Pancreas and Biliary Tract  2014;19(4):176-181

doi:10.15279/kpba.2014.19.4.176

Medication, Nutrition, and Diet in Chronic Pancreatitis.

Chang Hwan PARK 1

Affiliations

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Keywords

Chronic pancreatitis; Medication; Nutrition; Diet

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas characterized by progressive fibrotic destruction of the pancreatic parenchyma and resulting in severe pain with pancreatic exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. The clinical manifestations of CP include abdominal pain as well as exocrine and/or endocrine insufficiency. Most patients with CP have abdominal pain. Physicians usually focus on treating pain in CP as opposed to exocrine insufficiency, despite the fact that malabsorption and maldigestion can result in nutrition deficiency. Nutrition deficiency negatively affect outcome if they are not treated. Most important step for early diagnosis of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency in CP is special attention to nutritional status of patients. Abdominal pain, pancreatic exocrine and endocrine insufficiencies should be managed with multidisciplinary approach to prevent complications and to maintain good quality of life. The mainstay of treatment is abstinence of alcohol and smoking, pain treatment, dietary modifications and pancreatic enzyme replacement.