Guide To The Causes Of Pancreatitis

Certain Medications

An individual may develop pancreatitis as a result of taking certain types of medications. However, this is rare. Between one and six percent of individuals who use medications called 6-mercaptopurine and azathioprine are affected by drug-induced pancreatitis. Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine are drugs used to treat patients affected by certain autoimmune disorders, as are immunosuppressants. The exact mechanism of how these drugs cause pancreatitis is not known, but it is thought to be related to an increased predisposition to adverse reactions and infection caused by the mechanism of the drug. A class of medications referred to as ACE inhibitors is also known to trigger pancreatitis in some individuals who take them to treat heart failure, hypertension, and proteinuria. The most common ACE inhibitors known to cause pancreatitis are enalapril, captopril, perindopril, lisinopril, and ramipril. The exact mechanism behind how these medications cause pancreatitis is not known, but it is thought to be related to angioedema around the gland. Other drugs that can cause pancreatitis include 5-ASA, some antibiotics, statins, and some antidiabetic drugs.

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