Can you die in your sleep from pancreatitis?
Yes, you can die in your sleep from pancreatitis. The chances for this to happen depend on many factors. The most important are the type and severity of the pancreatitis.
The highest chance of dying is in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. It can lead to sudden death.
Pancreatitis can have severe and lethal complications. Among the most common causes of death in acute pancreatitis is respiratory failure [1]. Other dangerous complications include hemorrhage, systemic inflammatory syndrome, sepsis, and multi-organ failure.
Pancreatitis can have an acute onset and progression of the disease. Sometimes people die from pancreatitis before reaching the hospital [2].
What is pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. This vital organ is placed in the upper abdomen and has a long shape [3]. It starts around the middle of the body and continues to the left.
The pancreas has many key functions. It regulates glucose absorption and levels in the blood. Also, the pancreas produces enzymes that digest proteins, sugars, and fats.
The inflammation of the pancreas is caused most commonly by its enzymes. Among them is trypsin. This potent enzyme, when activated, digests proteins. It may become activated while still in the pancreas. In a situation like this, trypsin and other enzymes start digesting the pancreas from the inside. This leads to a strong inflammatory reaction [4, 5].
There are two types of pancreatitis. One is acute, and the second is chronic.
Acute pancreatitis develops quickly and lasts for several days. It causes severe abdominal pain and inflammation. It has a high mortality rate of up to 20% [6, 5].
On the other hand, chronic pancreatitis persists for a long time. With time, the inflammation leads to significant impairment of pancreatic functions [7, 8].
What are the causes of pancreatitis?
Various factors can trigger pancreatitis.
However, the most common causes of pancreatitis are:
- high and prolonged alcohol consumption
- gallstones
Both of these causes account for 60 to 90% of the causes [9, 7].
Other causes of pancreatitis are:
- medications,
- infections,
- injury,
- hypertriglyceridemia,
- hypercalcemia,
- autoimmune disease,
- a narrow pancreatic duct,
- cystic fibrosis,
- genetic conditions [9, 10, 5, 11].
In some cases, the cause of pancreatitis remains unknown. This pancreatitis is referred to as idiopathic [9, 12].
What are the symptoms of pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis can present with many symptoms. However, perhaps one of the most common symptoms of pancreatitis is strong abdominal pain with radiation to the back [13]. The pain can start abruptly or slowly increase in intensity over days [10].
Other symptoms of pancreatitis include:
- nause and vomiting,
- weight loss,
- tachycardia,
- ever,
- tender abdomen,
- diarrhoea,
- foul-smelling stool [10, 13].
In severe cases, pancreatitis can lead to breathing problems, extreme thirst, fatigue, and jaundice [5].
When should I seek medical help when suspecting pancreatitis?
When you experience any of the symptoms above, you should seek medical help immediately.
You should be alarmed, especially when the pain is very strong. A characteristic of pancreas-linked pain is that it goes away only in a leaned-forward or ball-like position. In some people, the pain of pancreatitis radiates to the back and can be accompanied by distension [14].
Remember, never ignore the symptoms of pancreatitis. This condition can lead to death, and in acute cases, sometimes an hour can be decisive.