Watch for upper abdominal pain after middle age… cholecystitis cases rise from the 40s
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Gangnam St. Peter's Hospital 26-01-15 10:44Main content
If sudden upper abdominal pain appears from middle age, when metabolic function declines, you should suspect cholecystitis rather than simple indigestion.
Park, Kwan Tae, Director of St. Peter's Hospital, explained on the 15th, “Cholecystitis patients begin to increase in earnest from the 40s and 50s and tend to peak in the 60s.”
In fact, 2024 Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data show that patients in their 40s numbered about 1.4 times those in their 30s, and patients in their 60s twice as many as those in their 30s.
The biggest cause of cholecystitis is gallstones. Overeating or a high-calorie diet causes the components of bile to harden into gallstones. Once formed, gallstones block the bile duct and cause inflammation. Rapid weight loss in particular is cited as a major culprit in gallstone formation; the incidence of gallstones while dieting is reported to be about 25%.
Cholecystitis is characterized by markedly different symptoms in its acute and chronic forms. In severe cases, acute cholecystitis is accompanied by right upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever. Chronic cholecystitis, by contrast, is often asymptomatic, presenting as bloating, discomfort and fullness centered on the upper abdomen, which is easily mistaken for a stomach problem.
Park, Kwan Tae, Director and general surgery specialist at St. Peter's Hospital, stressed, “The gallbladder is closely connected to the liver, pancreas and bile ducts, so it is advantageous to see a hepatobiliary-pancreatic specialist who can provide collaborative care,” adding, “Regular abdominal ultrasound screening is essential, especially as the risk of gallbladder disease grows along with declining metabolism after middle age.”
Park, Kwan Tae, Director of St. Peter's Hospital, explained on the 15th, “Cholecystitis patients begin to increase in earnest from the 40s and 50s and tend to peak in the 60s.”
In fact, 2024 Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data show that patients in their 40s numbered about 1.4 times those in their 30s, and patients in their 60s twice as many as those in their 30s.
The biggest cause of cholecystitis is gallstones. Overeating or a high-calorie diet causes the components of bile to harden into gallstones. Once formed, gallstones block the bile duct and cause inflammation. Rapid weight loss in particular is cited as a major culprit in gallstone formation; the incidence of gallstones while dieting is reported to be about 25%.
Cholecystitis is characterized by markedly different symptoms in its acute and chronic forms. In severe cases, acute cholecystitis is accompanied by right upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever. Chronic cholecystitis, by contrast, is often asymptomatic, presenting as bloating, discomfort and fullness centered on the upper abdomen, which is easily mistaken for a stomach problem.
Park, Kwan Tae, Director and general surgery specialist at St. Peter's Hospital, stressed, “The gallbladder is closely connected to the liver, pancreas and bile ducts, so it is advantageous to see a hepatobiliary-pancreatic specialist who can provide collaborative care,” adding, “Regular abdominal ultrasound screening is essential, especially as the risk of gallbladder disease grows along with declining metabolism after middle age.”