A client with chronic pancreatitis should be monitored for which problem that can occur as a result of the disease?

A client with chronic pancreatitis should be monitored for which problem that can occur as a result of the disease?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Diabetes
• C. Hypothyroidism
• D. Graves disease

Answer: (B)

Chronic pancreatitis can progressively destroy the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leading to impaired insulin production and regulation of blood glucose. This develops into pancreatogenic diabetes, a form of diabetes that arises specifically from pancreatic damage. Because of this, monitoring for diabetes is essential, looking for signs such as increased thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, and fatigue, and confirming with glucose testing or HbA1c. The other conditions listed are not direct consequences of pancreatic inflammation, whereas diabetes directly reflects the endocrine dysfunction caused by the diseased pancreas.