2024-01-08 18:07:52
The Spanish actor and director Santiago Segura has revealed to Pronto magazine that he suffers from pancreatic insufficiency, after a publication on social networks in which he appeared in hospital pajamas set off alarms about his health on December 28.
Specifically, he explained that this condition, although it does not prevent him from doing his job, causes him “digestive disorders and discomfort constantly.”
What is pancreatic insufficiency and why does it occur?
First of all, we must understand that the human pancreas consists of two different types of tissue: the exocrine pancreas (which is responsible for producing enzymes necessary for the digestion of food in the small intestine) and the endocrine pancreas (which secretes hormones such as insulin that are released into the bloodstream and are involved in the control of blood glucose levels).
Thus, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is, as explained by the National Institutes of Health of the United States, a condition in which the small intestine cannot digest food completely due to problems with the digestive enzymes generated by the exocrine pancreas. This can happen when the amount of enzymes the pancreas produces is not enough, when not enough enzymes reach the small intestine, or when there are other problems that prevent the enzymes from mixing with food or working well.
It is a rare pathology, although it occurs more frequently in people with other conditions such as chronic pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis and, in other cases, in patients with pancreatic cancer, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, untreated celiac disease, surgeries of the pancreas or upper gastrointestinal tract, Sjögren’s syndrome or with a history of tobacco or alcohol consumption.
What are the symptoms
Because it is a disorder that fundamentally affects the digestion of food, its symptoms are mostly gastrointestinal in nature, with signs such as bloating, colic, abdominal pain, diarrhea, loose stools, excess gas and weight loss.
If left untreated, in the long term it can cause complications such as malnutrition, low levels of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, osteopenia and osteoporosis, growth problems (when it affects children), a weak immune system and a risk increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks or strokes.
How it is treated
The main treatment strategy is pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PTRT) and a series of lifestyle changes, as well as addressing the diseases that cause the problem and those that may arise from it.
TREP consists of the administration of medications that contain pancreatic enzymes along with food, so that the small intestine is helped to digest. This approach can improve symptoms and prevent serious complications such as malnutrition.
Likewise, you should avoid alcohol consumption, adjust your diet and quit smoking to avoid worsening the problem.
References
NIH – National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Definition and facts about exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Consulted online at on January 8, 2024.
NIH – National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms and causes of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Consulted online at https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/informacion-de-la-salud/enfermedades-digestivas/insuficiencia-pancreatica-exocrina/sintomas-causas on January 8, 2024.
NIH – National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Consulted online at on January 8, 2024.
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