Alcoholic pancreatitis

Significant alcohol consumption predisposes susceptible individuals to acute and chronic pancreatitis. The reasons that some individuals are more susceptible than others remain an area of intense research. Recent research, however, has clarified many of the dose-related effects on the pancreas and pancreatic control mechanisms, and identified genetic variations that contribute to this condition. This article reviews the major advances in the field with a focus on epidemiological evidence, pathophysiological mechanisms, classification, differential diagnosis, and treatments.