Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Tumours Flashcards
What are the two types of functioning cells in the pancreas?
- Exocrine - acinar cells secrete pancreatic enzymes
- Endocrine - islets of Langerhans secrete hormones into the blood
What are the 4 cell types in the pancreas?
- Beta cells - secrete insulin
- Alpha cells - secrete glucagon
- Delta cells - secrete somatostatin
- PP cells - secrete polypeptides
In relation to the pancreas function only, what impact does somatostatin have?
Suppression of pancreatic hormones and also the exocrine function of the pancreas
What is the purpose of pancreatic polypeptides released from PP cells?
It is a self-regulatory mechanism to limit the secretions from the pancreas
Besides pancreatic polypeptides, which other factors can control pancreatic secretions?
- Vagus nerve
- Parasympathetic activity
What is the function of proteases?
Break down proteins from polypeptides to peptides
What is the function of pancreatic lipase?
Break down fat
Which two sources in the body does pancreatic lipsase come from?
- Saliva
- Pancreas
What does amylase in the body function to do?
Break down dietary starch and complex carbohydrates into di and trisaccharides
(additional enzymes can complete the breakdown process to form glucose)
Where is pancreatic lipase released?
Small intestine
Pancreatitis can be one of two things depending on the length of onset, what are these?
- Acute
- Chronic
What is the aetiology of acute pancreatitits?
I GET SMASHED
I - Idiopathic
G - Gallstones
E - Ethanol
T - Trauma
S - Steroids
M - Mumps
A - Autoimmune
S - Scorpion bites
H - Hyperlipidaemia, hyperparathyroidism, hypercalcaemia
E - ERCP
D - Drugs - azathioprine
What causes trypsin in the pancreas to be prematurely activated?
Damage to acinar cells
Blockage or occulsion preventing drainage out of the main pancreatic duct into the ampulla of Vater
Potentiall high levels of intracellular calcium
Which may cause high levels of intracellular calcium leadign to pancreatitits?
- Disruption in calcium homeostasis from alcohol consumption
- Duct hypertension from occulsion
Where will pain present in acute pancreatitis?
Epigastrium
What may be found on clinical examination in patient with pancreatitits?
- Fullness and pain in epigastrium
- Diffuse upper abdominal tenderness
- Soft
- Normal
- Tachycardia
- Hypotension
- Oliguric (very low urine output)
- Cullen’s, Grey-Turner’s signs and erythema ab igne