You have a client that has pancreatitis. Samantha wants to know more about this disorder and how it affects her insulin or lack of insulin production

Question

a. How does the pancreas affect glucose and insulin levels in the body?
b. Where does insulin come from in the pancreas?
c. What other hormones are secreted here and what are their functions?
d. What would you expect to find in your physical assessment of this client?
e. What laboratory tests would you expect to see ordered?
f. Is this an exocrine or endocrine gland? Explain.

Answer 1

Students' answers should include the following:
a. Maintains levels of blood sugar with insulin and glucagon
b. Islets of Langerhans release insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin.
Is both an exocrine and endocrine gland due to chemicals or hormones to slow down physiologic processes and also releases secretions through ducts
c. Excretes digestive enzymes as an exocrine gland
d. Fatigue, upper quadrant pain radiating to back, nausea, and vomiting
e. Complete blood count, chemistry test, diagnostic tests, x-rays, and other scans may be ordered.
f. This is both an exocrine and endocrine gland, depending on what hormone or chemical you are looking at.