It consists of a chronic inflammation of the pancreatic gland, resulting in a progressive and irreversible deterioration of the anatomical structure and the functions of the pancreas. It usually affects males, especially between the third and fourth decades of life.

• Alcohol: This substance acts as a cell toxin and causes the accumulation of drops of fat inside pancreatic cells and the intracellular activation of enzymes.
• Dietary factors: Diets with low protein content and with a considerable excess or deficiency of fat are related with this disease.

• Pain: usually starts in the epigastrium or in the entire upper middle abdomen and spreads to the back.
• Pain related with the food intake causing progressive slimming.
• Stools are yellow, foamy, have an oily appearance and float on the water.
• Diabetes: this indicates an advanced stage of the disease (occurs in 28-40% of cases)
• Jaundice or simple cholestasis (suppression or detention of the flow of bile)
• Food-induced vomiting.

Patients with chronic pancreatitis may require:

• Enzyme supplements to facilitate food digestion.
• Insulin (if diabetes develops).
• Small food portions with a high protein content.
• Medications (for example, H2 blockers) to reduce gastric acid production in the stomach.

Chronic pancreatitis can also be self-limiting, but it may resolve after several attacks and with a greater risk of developing long-term issues such as diabetes, chronic pain, diarrhea, ascites, biliary cirrhosis, obstruction of the bile duct or pancreatic cancer.

In addition to a physical exam and the complete medical history, the diagnostic procedures for pancreatitis include:

• Abdominal x-ray.
• Blood tests.
• Ultrasound (Also called sonogram)
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Computerized tomography (Also called a CT or CAT scan)
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
• BREATH TESTS: The ¹³C-mixed triglyceride breath test is a non-invasive test for determining pancreatic lipase activity in which the relevant step is the hydrolysis of the ester group by pancreatic lipase to form 13C-octanoic acid triglyceride, which will be directly absorbed and oxidized in the liver to finally produce ¹³CO₂. The¹³CO₂/¹²CO₂ ratio in the breath sample is representative of the lipase activity.

• ¹³C-MIXED TRIGLYCERIDE

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• Wikipedia