pancreatin is used for pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy - it contains varying amounts of protease (trypsin, chymotrypsin, elasase), lipase and amylase, which help with the digestion of protein, fat and starch respectively
pancreatin is used in conditions such as cystic fibrosis, and following pancreatectomy, total gastrectomy and chronic pancreatitis
compared to trypsin and amylase, pancreatic lipase is more susceptible to acid denaturation - therefore it is easier to treat protein malabsorption with standard pancreatin supplements than fat malabsorption (steatorrhoea); gastric acid secretion may be reduced via adjuvant therapy with H2-antagonists or proton pump inhibitors
there is evidence that pancreatin relieves pain in chronic pancreatitis
side effects of pancreatin include:
abdominal discomfort
nausea and vomiting
diarrhoea or constipation
hypersensitivity to pancreatin supplement
buccal and perioral irritation if pancreatin retained in the mouth
excessive doses can cause perianal irritation
hyperuricosuria and hyperuricaemia have been associated with the use of very high doses of pancreatin
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