| When liquid stored in the gall bladder hardens into | | | | women. obesity tents to reduce the amount of |
| pieces of stone-like material the discussion is | | | | bile salts in bile resulting in more cholesterol. |
| about the gallstones. The bile is used to help the | | | | Obesity may also decrease the empty of the |
| body digest fats. The same bile which is made in | | | | gallbladder. The cholesterol level in bile may appear |
| the liver is stored in the gallbladder until the body | | | | in cases of excess estrogen from pregnancy, |
| needs to digest fat. The gallbladder contracts and | | | | hormone replacement therapy, or birth control |
| pushes the bile into a tube-the common bile | | | | pills. |
| duct-that carries it to the small intestine, where it | | | | The presence of estrogen decreases gallbladder |
| helps with digestion. | | | | movement which can lead to gallstones. The |
| Bile is made of water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, | | | | Americans have a genetic predisposition to |
| proteins and bilirubin. The bilirubin gives bile a | | | | secrete high levels to cholesterol in bile. A |
| yellowish color and the bile salts break up fat. | | | | mojority of Native American men have gallstones |
| there are two types of gallstones: cholesterol | | | | by age 60. Amoung the Indians of Arizona, 70 per |
| stones and pigment stones. Cholesterol stones are | | | | cent of women have gallstones by age 30. |
| yellow-green and they are made of hardened | | | | Women and Mexican American men of all ages |
| cholesterol. They are in an account of 80 per cent | | | | have high rates of gallstones. Women between 20 |
| of gallstones. Pigment stones are small, dark | | | | and 60 years are predisposed to develop |
| stones made of bilirubin. Gallstones may look like | | | | gallstones as men. The elder people are more |
| of grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. | | | | likely to develop gallstones than younger people. |
| Any combination of gallstones may develop for | | | | The risk of gallstones can increase because drugs |
| example one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones. | | | | that lower cholesterol levels in blood and at the |
| The biliary system shows the following range: the | | | | sometime increase the amount of cholesterol |
| gallbladder and the ducts that carry bile and other | | | | secreted in bile. |
| digestive enzymes from the liver, gallbladder, | | | | High levels of fatty acids called triglycerides are |
| pancreas to the small intestine. The normal flow | | | | present in people with diabetes. In a case of a |
| of bile in any of the ducts that carry bile from the | | | | rapid weight loss the liver secrete extra |
| liver to the small intestine can be blocked by | | | | cholesterol into bile, which can cause gallstones. |
| some gallstones. The hepatic ducts, the cystic | | | | The bile can become over concentrate with |
| duct and the common bile duct involves the bile | | | | cholesterol, which can lead to gallstones due to |
| which trapped in these ducts and can cause | | | | the fasting decreases gallbladder movement. The |
| inflammation in the gallbladder. | | | | symptoms of gallstones are often named |
| Other ducts open into the common bile including | | | | gallstone "attack" because they appear suddenly. |
| the pancreating duct which carries digestive | | | | A typical attack can cause: steady pain in the |
| enzyme out of the pancreas. The opening of a | | | | upper abdomen, pain in the back between the |
| duct may be blocked by a present gallstone which | | | | shoulder blades, pain under the right shoulder, |
| can cause an extremly painful inflammation called | | | | nausea or vomiting. Gallstone attacks often occur |
| gallstone pancreatitis. If one of these ducts remain | | | | after fatty meals and they may appear during |
| blocks infections affecting the gallbladder liver or | | | | the night. Other gallstones symptoms are: |
| pancreas can occur. There are some serious | | | | abdominal bloating, recccuring intolerance of fatty |
| problems considered as warning size: fever, | | | | foods, colic, belching, gas and indigestion. |
| jaundice and persistent pain. The cholesterol | | | | Patients who have the above and any of the |
| stones form when bile contains too much | | | | following symptoms should consult a doctor right |
| cholesterol, too much bilirubin or not enough bile | | | | away: chills, low-grade fever, yellowish color of the |
| salts, or when the gallbladder does not empty as | | | | skin or whites of the eyes, clay-colored stools. |
| it should for some other reason. | | | | Unfortunately there are asymptomatic patients |
| The cause of pigment stones is undefined. They | | | | with no symptoms and their stones are called |
| develop in people who have cirrhosis, biliary tract | | | | "silent stones". They do not interract with |
| infections and hereditary blood disorders, such as | | | | gallbladder, liver or pancreas function and do not |
| sickle cell anemia, in which too much bilirubin is | | | | need treatment. |
| formed. The gallstones have been indentified as | | | | There are many causes of gallstones but doctors |
| cholesterol stones. It is believed that obesity is a | | | | discovered many currying ways. |
| mojor risk factor for gallstones, especially in | | | | |