The primary causes of acute pancreatitis are gallstones and excessive alcohol consumption. Other common causes include high triglyceride levels, elevated calcium levels in the blood, side effects of certain medications, autoimmune diseases (where the body's immune system attacks the pancreas), hereditary/genetic factors, and structural anomalies of the pancreas. In 10% to 30% of patients, no specific cause can be identified (idiopathic pancreatitis); in approximately 80% of these cases, micro-gallstones are suspected to play a role.