Gallstones Research Paper

Gallstones are formed when a chemical imbalance in the bile chemical makeup occurs and roughly effects about 10-15% of all Western adults.4 In the human body, the gallbladder produces bile which is made up of components of not only bile salts and phospholipids but also cholesterol. When the liver secretes an excessive amount of cholesterol or an increase consumption of salt and water, build up of cholesterol occurs in the gallbladder forming a gallstone. Often, gallstones are small enough to pass without complications but larger stones create blockages and problems. When a stone is large enough it can become lodged in the opening of the gallbladder and causes painful contractions of smooth muscle. A more serious problem arises when a gallstone lodges itself in the common bile duct, thus causing bile to become incapable of reaching the intestines that then interferes with nutritional digestion and absorption. 4 …show more content…
First, the uncontrollable causes, which are genetics and whether gallstones are a common occurrence in your family’s history. The other cause is a decrease in motility or movement of the gallbladder, which affects the components of the bile makeup.4 The other two controllable causes of gallstones include the weight of the subject with respect to the heavier patient being the more likely to obtain a gallstone. The other controllable cause is the diet and the risk of increased consumption of fats and salts that could increase the cholesterol concentration in the gallbladder. Risk factors for gallstones include genetics and family history, obesity, increase levels of estrogen, ethnicity, gender and age all can