©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
NURS 405A Exam 3 Study Guide Solutions
Anatomy of the pancreas - ANSWER✔✔-It is both an exocrine (acinar cells) and endocrine (islets of
langerhans) organ
acinar cells - ANSWER✔✔-Secrete digestive enzymes including amylase, protease and lipase intot he
pancreatic duct
Islet cells - ANSWER✔✔-secrete insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide into
bloodstream
Function of insulin - ANSWER✔✔-beta cells of the islets of langerhans move glucose from the blood into
other body tissues where it is used for energy
Function of glucagon - ANSWER✔✔-alpha cells cause liver to convert glycogen to glucose
What does the gallbladder do? - ANSWER✔✔-Stores and releases bile (made in the liver) to digest fats
Acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-acute inflammation of the pancrease that can range from mild to
severe, severe can be life threatening
pancreatic enzymes spill into surrounding tssues and organs causing autodigestion and pain
Page 1/79
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pancreas typically recovers from an acute episode
Most common causes of acute pancreatitis (U.S.) - ANSWER✔✔-Gallbadder disease (gallstones) due to
high fat diet (more common in women than men)
Chronic alcohol use (more common in men)
idopathic
hypertriglyceridemia
less common causes of acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-drug reactions (thiazide diuretics, DM meds)
pancreatic cancer
trauma
gallstones are... - ANSWER✔✔-hardened deposits of undissolved cholesterol, salts or bilirubin
Clinical manifestation of acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-abdominal pain (cause your pancreas is
digesting itself) (mid-epigastric and LUQ radiating to back, worse with eating, worse when recumbent
(lying flat))
N/V
Vital signs (resemble sepsis): dec BP, inc HR, low grad fever
Page 2/79
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Labs: inc amylase, inc lipase (Lipase more specific to pancreas) (amylase can elevate with mumps,
cerebral trauma, renal transplant)
Hyperglycemia and hypocalcemia (combining of calcium and fatty acids during fat necrosis)
S/S of hypocalcemia - ANSWER✔✔-Early sign of hypocalcemia is numbness/tingling around lips and
fingers
muscle twitching and tetany can also occur
postive chovstek and trousseau signs
Nursing assessment for acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-abdomen is painful, guarded, distended
bowel sounds decreased or absent
crackles in bases of lungs
Grey Turner's (flank: bruise like sign on skin) and Cullen's signs (preumbilical red line)
Acute pancreatitis primarily affects what systm? - ANSWER✔✔-cardiovascular and pulmonary systems
Patient's with Grey Turner's and Cullen's signs - ANSWER✔✔-less than 1% of patients have these signs
and they are associated with a high rate of mortality
Acute Pancreatitis complications - ANSWER✔✔-Inflammation and free digestive enzymes can affec
nearby organs, vessels and lungs:
Page 3/79
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
hemorrhage
shock
necrosis
peritonitis
pancreatic pseudocyst
pancreatic abscess, acute renal failure
ARDS, Hypocalcemia
DIC
pancreatic pseudocyst from acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-a localized collection of pancreatic juices
confirned to a retoperitoneal area by a fibrous membrane
pancreatic abscess from acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-a collection of pus and necrotic tissue
ARF from acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-caused by hypoxemia, release of pancreatic amylase from
injured pancreas with impairment or renal microcirculation, decrease in renal perfusion pressure due to
abdominal compartment syndrome, intraabdominal hypertension or hypovolemia
ARDs from acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-due to systemic inflammation, potentially the most serious
manifestation of AP w/ mortality rate in the range of 30-40%
Page 4/79
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
NURS 405A Exam 3 Study Guide Solutions
Anatomy of the pancreas - ANSWER✔✔-It is both an exocrine (acinar cells) and endocrine (islets of
langerhans) organ
acinar cells - ANSWER✔✔-Secrete digestive enzymes including amylase, protease and lipase intot he
pancreatic duct
Islet cells - ANSWER✔✔-secrete insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide into
bloodstream
Function of insulin - ANSWER✔✔-beta cells of the islets of langerhans move glucose from the blood into
other body tissues where it is used for energy
Function of glucagon - ANSWER✔✔-alpha cells cause liver to convert glycogen to glucose
What does the gallbladder do? - ANSWER✔✔-Stores and releases bile (made in the liver) to digest fats
Acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-acute inflammation of the pancrease that can range from mild to
severe, severe can be life threatening
pancreatic enzymes spill into surrounding tssues and organs causing autodigestion and pain
Page 1/79
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
pancreas typically recovers from an acute episode
Most common causes of acute pancreatitis (U.S.) - ANSWER✔✔-Gallbadder disease (gallstones) due to
high fat diet (more common in women than men)
Chronic alcohol use (more common in men)
idopathic
hypertriglyceridemia
less common causes of acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-drug reactions (thiazide diuretics, DM meds)
pancreatic cancer
trauma
gallstones are... - ANSWER✔✔-hardened deposits of undissolved cholesterol, salts or bilirubin
Clinical manifestation of acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-abdominal pain (cause your pancreas is
digesting itself) (mid-epigastric and LUQ radiating to back, worse with eating, worse when recumbent
(lying flat))
N/V
Vital signs (resemble sepsis): dec BP, inc HR, low grad fever
Page 2/79
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Labs: inc amylase, inc lipase (Lipase more specific to pancreas) (amylase can elevate with mumps,
cerebral trauma, renal transplant)
Hyperglycemia and hypocalcemia (combining of calcium and fatty acids during fat necrosis)
S/S of hypocalcemia - ANSWER✔✔-Early sign of hypocalcemia is numbness/tingling around lips and
fingers
muscle twitching and tetany can also occur
postive chovstek and trousseau signs
Nursing assessment for acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-abdomen is painful, guarded, distended
bowel sounds decreased or absent
crackles in bases of lungs
Grey Turner's (flank: bruise like sign on skin) and Cullen's signs (preumbilical red line)
Acute pancreatitis primarily affects what systm? - ANSWER✔✔-cardiovascular and pulmonary systems
Patient's with Grey Turner's and Cullen's signs - ANSWER✔✔-less than 1% of patients have these signs
and they are associated with a high rate of mortality
Acute Pancreatitis complications - ANSWER✔✔-Inflammation and free digestive enzymes can affec
nearby organs, vessels and lungs:
Page 3/79
, ©EMILLECT 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
hemorrhage
shock
necrosis
peritonitis
pancreatic pseudocyst
pancreatic abscess, acute renal failure
ARDS, Hypocalcemia
DIC
pancreatic pseudocyst from acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-a localized collection of pancreatic juices
confirned to a retoperitoneal area by a fibrous membrane
pancreatic abscess from acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-a collection of pus and necrotic tissue
ARF from acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-caused by hypoxemia, release of pancreatic amylase from
injured pancreas with impairment or renal microcirculation, decrease in renal perfusion pressure due to
abdominal compartment syndrome, intraabdominal hypertension or hypovolemia
ARDs from acute pancreatitis - ANSWER✔✔-due to systemic inflammation, potentially the most serious
manifestation of AP w/ mortality rate in the range of 30-40%
Page 4/79
