Acute pancreatitis: induced by heroin intoxication?

Hyperamylasemia has been reported in heroin addicts and ascribed to an increase of salivary isoamylase. Ours is the first report on acute pancreatitis in a heroin user. All prognostic parameters indicating a severe course of the disease were present, and computed tomography showed an edematous pancreatitis, but the acute pancreatitis took a benign clinical course.

Painless acute pancreatitis subsequent to anticholinesterase insecticide (parathion) intoxication.

Painless acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis, manifested only by an ileus, is described in two of nine patients after ingestion of parathion, a poisonous anticholinesterase insecticide. Other investigators have shown in animal experiments that parathion increases pancreatic intraductal pressure and stimulates pancreatic secretion. Such described cases may be designated pathologically as clinical examples of acute obstruction pancreatitis.