Health
What Is Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
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EPI occurs with conditions affecting the pancreas. Two of the most common causes of EPI include:
Chronic Pancreatitis This condition is characterized by chronic inflammation of the pancreas that does not heal or improve over time. The inflammation can negatively impact the pancreas’s ability to produce digestive enzymes, leading to EPI. According to Mayo Clinic, risk factors for pancreatitis include heavy alcohol use, abdominal surgery, gallstones, an infection, obesity, high calcium or triglyceride levels in the blood, certain medications, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatic cancer.
Research published in 2023 estimated that about 45 of every 100,000 people have chronic pancreatitis.
Cystic Fibrosis This is a chronic, progressive genetic disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs and affects the ability to breathe over time, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
In people living with cystic fibrosis, sticky, thick mucus builds up in the lungs and other organs, including the pancreas, which prevents them from working properly. According to Mayo Clinic, the sticky mucus can block the digestive enzymes produced in the pancreas from reaching the small intestine, resulting in EPI.
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