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