• Byetta®
• Byetta® Lawyer
• Byetta® Side Effects
• Byetta® Symptoms
• Byett®a Diabetes
• Byetta® Injuries
• Byetta® Lawsuits
• Byetta® Recalls
• Byetta® Weight Loss
• Byetta® Warnings
• Byetta® Facts
• Byetta® Pancreatitis
• Acute Pancreatitis
• Chronic Pancreatitis
• Hemorrhagic Pancreatitis
• Necrotizing Pancreatitis
• Byetta® Muscle and Joint Pain
• Byetta® Depression
• Byetta® Treatments
• Byetta® Medication
• Byetta® Insulin
• Byetta® Pen
• Byetta® Prices
• Byetta® Deaths
• Byetta® Problems
• Byetta® Cases
• Byetta® Attorney

Find a Lawyer in Your State

Need Help?

• Accutane®
• Cerebral Palsy
• Darvocet®
• Denture Cream
• Depuy ASR™ Hip Implant
• Fosamax® Femur Fracture
• MiniMed Insulin Pump
• Multaq®
• Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis
• Paxil® Birth Defects
• Propecia®
• Shoulder Pain Pump
• Topamax®
• Truck Accident Lawyer
• Wellbutrin®
• Yaz® Birth Control

Acute pancreatitis is a condition in which digestive enzymes within the pancreas begin to attack the gland and cause it to swell. As the condition progresses, acute pancreatitis will result in internal bleeding and pancreatic tissue death. Without treatment, acute pancreatitis will be fatal.

Each year, about 80,000 patients are diagnosed with new cases of acute pancreatitis. Of these, about 16,000 cases are severe.

What is the Pancreas?

The pancreas is an oblong gland that produces various enzymes and hormones essential to digestion and metabolism. Among the hormones produced by the pancreas is insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar, appetite and energy levels.

Patients whose pancreases produce too little or no insulin will be afflicted with diabetes and will likely need to receive insulin injections to prevent further health complications.

Causes of Acute Pancreatitis

Both genetic factors and lifestyle choices can contribute to the development of acute pancreatitis. The primary causes of acute pancreatitis include:

• alcohol abuse
• certain congenital conditions (such as cystic fibrosis)
• gallstones
• genetic abnormalities
• infections (either bacterial or viral)
• pancreatic cancer
• some medications (particularly Byetta®)
• surgery
• trauma to the abdomen

Byetta® and Acute Pancreatitis

While heavy use of alcohol is the leading cause of acute pancreatitis, one of the newest known causes of this condition is Byetta®, a medication for type 2 diabetes.

Although Byetta® rarely causes acute pancreatitis as a side effect of Byetta®, to date, the FDA has received 30 reports of patients developing acute pancreatitis after taking Byetta®. Of these, 21 required hospitalization, and 2 died.

Acute versus Chronic Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis may come in one of two forms: acute or chronic. While acute pancreatitis is marked by severe pain and a quick on-set of symptoms, chronic pancreatitis is milder, as it develops slowly over longer periods of time. Both conditions require immediate treatment to prevent serious health problems.

Acute Pancreatitis Treatments

Hospitalization, possibly in the intensive care ward, is usually the first step in treating acute pancreatitis. In addition to minimizing pain through medication, immediate treatments will include:

• Intravenous feeding
• Surgery to implant a feeding tube (These devices allow food to bypass the pancreas for short periods of time. This allows the pancreas to rest – instead of working – each time a patient eats).

Depending on the initial cause of the condition, long-term follow up treatments may also include:

• Addiction treatment, if alcohol abuse caused the acute pancreatitis
• Alternative medications, if Byetta® or some other medication was a contributing factor
• Surgery, if biological abnormalities or gallstones are present

While the severity of the condition will dictate the length of recovery time, most patients will start to show improvement after a week of acute pancreatitis treatments.

Acute Pancreatitis Lawsuits

If a Byetta® treatment was the cause of your acute pancreatitis, it is important for you to meet with an experienced defective drug attorney, as you likely have a legal claim against Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly (Byetta's® manufacturers).

Acute pancreatitis is a life-threatening condition, and those who develop it after taking Byetta® will be entitled to a monetary settlement for their suffering, lost wages and medical bills.

If You Have Been Injured by Byetta®

If you have developed acute pancreatitis or another condition as a result of taking Byetta®, contact us today to schedule a private consultation with a skilled Byetta® lawyer who has experience in handling cases recover compensation for your losses.

"Byetta® May Be Linked to Pancreatitis and Cancer"

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers have found that the use of the diabetes medications Byetta® and Januvia® may increase the risk of serious problems with the pancreas. Januvia® and Byetta® are both used to treat t...

» Read More