- Causes malabsorption of lipids (steatorrhea), in which the pancreas cannot synthesize adequate amounts of the enzymes needed for lipid digestion.
- The presence of gallstones and a history of excessive alcohol intake are the predominant associations for pancreatitis.  The mechanism by which these aetiological factors result in pancreatic injury is unknown; however, they both appear to result in activation of pancreatic exocrine pro-enzymes with resultant autodigestion.  Even today, the mortality rate for severe acute pancreatitis remains in the region of 20%.

Reference:
1. Anatomy at a Glance. Omar Faiz and David Moffat.  Blackwell Science. 2002.