Chronic Pancreatitis Causes & Risks

Causes

Chronic pancreatitis results from prolonged injury to the pancreas, usually caused by prolonged alcohol abuse. Other causes include:

• Trauma
• Pseudocysts (accumulation of fluids and debris)
• Heredity
• Congenital conditions (eg, pancreas divisum)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Hypercalcemia (high blood levels of calcium)
• Hyperlipidemia or hypertriglyceridemia (high levels of blood fats)
• Medications
• Autoimmune conditions

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.

Factors that may increase your risk of chronic pancreatitis include:

• Gender: male
• Age: late teens to mid-twenties (for alcohol-induced)
• Age: over 50 (for cases of no known cause)
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• Smoking
• Family history of hyperparathyroidism associated with chronic pancreatitis