A 55-Year-Old Man Has Been Newly Diagnosed with Acute Pancreatitis

A 55-year-old man has been newly diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and admitted to the acute medical unit. How should the nurse most likely explain the pathophysiology of this patients health problem?

A) Toxins have accumulated and inflamed your pancreas.
B) Bacteria likely migrated from your intestines and became lodged in your pancreas.
C) A virus that was likely already present in your body has begun to attack your pancreatic cells.
D) The enzymes that your pancreas produces have damaged the pancreas itself.