Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Pancreatitis
The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the first part of the small intestine. It secretes digestive juices into the small intestine through a tube called the pancreatic duct. The pancreas also releases the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream.
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It happens when digestive enzymes start digesting the pancreas itself. Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic. Either form is serious and can lead to complications.
Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and usually goes away in a few days with treatment. It is often caused by gallstones. Common symptoms are severe pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, and vomiting. Treatment is usually a few days in the hospital for intravenous (IV) fluids, antibiotics, and medicines to relieve pain.
Chronic pancreatitis does not heal or improve. It gets worse over time and leads to permanent damage. The most common cause is heavy alcohol use. Other causes include cystic fibrosis and other inherited disorders, high levels of calcium or fats in the blood, some medicines, and autoimmune conditions. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and oily stools. Treatment may also be a few days in the hospital for intravenous (IV) fluids, medicines to relieve pain, and nutritional support. After that, you may need to start taking enzymes and eat a special diet. It is also important to not smoke or drink alcohol.
It sits within Digestive System.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Pancreatitis
901 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Cold and NSAID Trial for Prevention of Post-ERCP PancreatitisInstituto do Cancer do Estado de São Paulo
- Evaluation of Pirfenidone as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy Against Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis.University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Pioglitazone Versus Empagliflozin for Chronic Pancreatitis/Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis/Acute Pancreatitis Associated Diabetes MellitusMayo Clinic
- Study of Plozasiran in Adults With Severe Hypertriglyceridemia at Risk of Acute PancreatitisArrowhead Pharmaceuticals
- Bacillus Subtilis and Enterococcus Faecium Probiotic Plus Lipid-Lowering Therapy for Hypertriglyceridemic Acute Pancreatitis: A Prospective RCTJianyin Zhou
- The Natural History of Chronic PancreatitisChanghai Hospital
Research already completed
- Tongfu Qinghua Decoction Enema and Ruyi Jinhuang Powder for Acute PancreatitisThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University
- Papillary Epinephrine Injection vs Rectal IndomethacinDuzce University
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- PancreatitisNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Pancreatitis - What Causes Pancreatitis?American Academy of Family Physicians
Diagnosis and Tests
- Amylase TestNational Library of Medicine
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Glucagon Blood TestNational Library of Medicine
- Lipase TestNational Library of Medicine
- Stool ElastaseNational Library of Medicine
Living With
- Pain Treatment and ManagementNational Pancreas Foundation
Related Issues
- Biliary Tract Disorders, Gallbladder Disorders, and Gallstone PancreatitisAmerican College of Gastroenterology
- Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Genetics
- Familial and Hereditary PancreatitisNational Pancreas Foundation
- Hereditary pancreatitis: MedlinePlus GeneticsNational Library of Medicine
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: PancreatitisNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Pancreatitis, Acute NecrotizingNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Pancreatitis, ChronicNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Pancreatitis. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Pancreatitis, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.