pancreatitis and diabetes

Hello,
    My 45 year old brother was taken to the Emergency Room on the 29th and had a blood glucose of 700.  He didn't even know he had diabetes.  After further testing it was determined he had liver damage and pancreatitis,  His blood sugar is now down to 100.  He is still in the ICU and is vomitting quite frequently.  His doctors say that the mortality level is quite high for these conditions when together,  Is there any information or hope you can give me?
  thanks,
Sally

[Anita Ramsetty, MD]

Hi,
I am sorry your brother is so ill at this time. Pancreatitis indeed is a very serious condition because when severe it can involve other organs of the body, such as causing fluid overload and respiratory failure.  The most common triggers for acute pancreatitis are gallbladder disease and alcohol intake, but other causes are possible such as medication side effects. His doctors will be working on getting the pancreas to calm down and possibly take care of any infections.
Hope this information is useful. Take care and all the best to your brother.I hope he has a speedy recovery.