Symptoms of Hypovolemic Shock in Acute Pancreatitis

While most people who experience an acute pancreatitis will generally have a mild attack, there is the potential of danger in the complications that can accompany such a disease. Not that every person who has such a sudden problem with their pancreas will suffer a debilitating condition like hypovolemic shock, but it is wise to be aware of what you'd be looking for if something like this were to transpire.

Identification

• Acute pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed and induces an almost abrupt, intense pain in the upper abdominal region of the body. Usually, this type of pancreatitis is fairly unexpected, since there are no real warning signs that would tell the individual of the condition. While this form of pancreatitis will generally remedy itself after about a week with treatment, some people do suffer certain complications from such an "attack."

Complications

• If you're like most people, your pancreas will typically find its way back to normal, producing both digestive enzymes and insulin for your body. But a snag in a person's recovery isn't necessarily unheard of, and you should really pay attention to those potential complications that sometimes accompany acute pancreatitis. On relatively rare occasions, a patient may experience infection, excess fluid and even tissue death within the pancreas. Yet, these sorts of problems aren't isolated to just this organ, and people may encounter other complications that would include kidney failure, respiratory failure and hypovolemic shock.

Symptoms

• While the symptoms of both respiratory and kidney failures are rather well known, the signs of hypovolemic shock are much less recognized by someone actually suffering from this condition. The most apparent of these symptoms would be that of a change in blood pressure, moving from normal to low, often referred to as hypotension. You may also experience a change in perception, so to speak, of the world around you, undergoing an almost altered state of being.

Effects

• Both of the more evident symptoms (hypotension and an altered state of perception) may also be accompanied by a shortness of breath or a change in breathing to a more shallow and rapid intake of air. Many people who experience hypovolemic shock may also find themselves cold and clammy with a pale complexion to their skin. Some may even discover a change in the amount of urination they "put out" on a given day, lessening sometimes by almost half.

Management

• Typically, anyone who is experiencing hypovolemic shock due to acute pancreatitis will need to seek treatment at a medical facility, as the measures taken to manage the condition are imperative. Many times, people will need to have fluid and blood replacement to bring their blood pressure back to a safe and normal level. They may also need oxygen and possibly surgery (as the organ may be bleeding or retaining fluid).