Gallstones

Minority Women's Health > American Indians/Alaska Natives > Health Topics > Gallstones

Gallstones are pieces of solid matter that form in the gallbladder. The gallbladder stores bile, which helps your body digest food. Gallstones form when parts of the bile form hard crystals. There are 2 types of gallstones: pigment (bilirubin) and cholesterol. Most people have cholesterol gallstones. They sometimes form as lots of small stones or may form as one big stone. A lot of times, gallstones don't cause any symptoms. When they do, some common symptoms include:

• a severe pain in the upper abdomen (stomach area) or right side that sometimes lasts for hours
• pain in the right shoulder or between your shoulder blades
• nausea or throwing up
• sweating
• indigestion (upset stomach) or stomach bloating after a fatty meal

Some factors that put you more at risk for gallstones include:

• obesity
• too much estrogen
• being female
• over 60 years old
• taking drugs that lower cholesterol
• diabetes
• rapid weight loss
• fasting

Because of high levels of cholesterol in their bile, more American Indians have gallstones than other women in the U.S. Among the Pima Indians of Arizona, 70 percent of women have gallstones by age 30.

Publications

1.   Gallstones - This fact sheet presents the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, complications, and treatment of gallstones. Gallstones form when liquid stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material.

   http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gallstones/index.htm

2. Gallstones (Copyright © American College of Gastroenterology) - This fact sheet lists risk factors for gallstones for women, including multiple pregnancies, obesity, and Hispanic or American Indian heritage. It also contains information about how gallstones are diagnosed and treated.

   http://www.gi.org/patients/women/gallstones.asp

3. Gallstones (Copyright © Cleveland Clinic) - This fact sheet explains how gallstones form and the risk factors that contribute to their formation in individuals. It also describes the treatment methods for gallstones which include surgery and oral dissolution therapy.

   http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/1700/1760.asp?index=7313

Organizations

1.   National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, NIDDK, NIH, HHS
2. American College of Gastroenterology
3. National Indian Women's Health Resource Center (NIWHRC)

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of December 2007