Doctors said Gangopadhyay had complained of uneasiness and his condition is being determined as “critically ill, but stable”
Former Judge of Calcutta High Court and BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay was airlifted to New Delhi for further treatment after being diagnosed with severe intestinal sepsis due to pancreatitis. According to news reports. Gangopadhyay was taken in an air ambulance from Kolkata on Friday. Doctors said Gangopadhyay had complained of uneasiness, and his condition is being determined as “critically ill, but stable”.
Earlier this week, the 63-year-old had complained of vomiting and abdominal pain—after which he was kept under close observation in the ICU. A statement issued by the hospital described his situation as serious.
What is pancreatitis?
According to experts, pancreatitis is inflammation in your pancreas, which leads to swelling and pain. If you have pancreatitis, it will feel like stomach pain spreading to your back.
Your pancreas is an organ in your abdomen that sits between your stomach and your spine. Doctors say your pancreas is involved in digestion and regulating your blood sugar, making digestive enzymes like amylase and insulin. It also delivers digestive enzymes to your small intestine through the pancreatic duct.
Acute pancreatitis is a temporary condition that happens when your pancreas is attempting to recover from a minor and short-term injury. Most people with acute pancreatitis recover completely in a few days with supportive care: rest, hydration, and pain relief. However, a very severe case of acute pancreatitis can lead to serious health complications, a few of which are life-threatening.
What are the signs and symptoms of pancreatitis?
Doctors say even though the main symptom of pancreatitis is abdominal pain, a few additional signs include:
- Extreme nausea and vomiting
- Fast heart rate
- Fast and shallow breathing
- High fever
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Indigestion and pain after eating
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
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Fatty poops that leave an oily film in the toilet
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Lightheadedness due to low blood pressure
According to doctors, pancreatitis causes severe tummy aches which can radiate to your back. Acute pancreatitis tends to be more severe, with a penetrating quality. Your abdomen may feel tender to the touch. With chronic pancreatitis, the pain may vary in intensity.
It may come and go, but it typically doesn’t go away completely.
What causes pancreatitis?
Doctors say the top causes of pancreatitis include:
Gallstones
Your common bile duct empties bile from your gallbladder into your intestine through the same opening as your pancreatic duct. And so, if a gallstone enters the common bile duct and gets stuck at that junction, it can temporarily block the drainage of pancreatic juice from the pancreatic duct, trapping the enzymes inside your pancreas.
Due to high pressure from obstruction, it activates the enzymes inside your pancreas, and they begin digesting the pancreas itself.
Alcohol use
Those who drink alcohol are also prone to pancreatitis, even though scientists are not sure why. It may be that the toxic byproducts of alcohol in your blood cause an inflammatory response in your pancreas, or they somehow chemically activate the digestive enzymes inside your pancreas.
