Causes and Mechanisms in Acute Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) presents clinically with either mild or severe clinical course. There are no effective specific drugs for treatment of AP today. Basic knowledge about pathophysiological processes is the key for the development of novel therapeutic principles. This article provides a review on the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the early phase of AP. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel