Abstract
Alcohol associated inflammation of the pancreas is an important and serious condition with which the GP must be familiar. The range of disease burden, from a potentially fatal attack of acute pancreatitis to the development of chronic pain, maldigestion and diabetes resulting from chronic pancreatitis must be recognized and managed promptly. Patients with alcoholic pancreatitis therefore require a large input of both primary and secondary care, and the GP has a pivotal role in coordinating this. The aim of this article is to familiarize the reader with the spectrum of alcoholic pancreatitis, its presentation and management and provide a framework to approaching the alcoholic patient with signs and symptoms of pancreatitis.
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