This Clinical Practice Guideline addresses the following questions:

Is it clinically and economically effective to search for the etiology of acute pancreatitis to prevent recurrent attacks in people whose etiology is not confirmed by basic investigations? What are the goals of intravenous fluid resuscitation in the initial treatment of patients with acute pancreatitis? Which crystalloid solution to choose for fluid resuscitation of patients with acute pancreatitis? Is the prophylactic administration of antimicrobial agents to patients with acute pancreatitis to prevent infection clinically beneficial and cost-effective? What is the most clinically and economically advantageous method of feeding patients with acute pancreatitis after admission to the hospital? What is the most clinically and economically effective method of treating pancreatic necrosis with proven or suspected infection? When is the most clinically and economically appropriate time for intervention of (suspected) infected necrosis in acute pancreatitis? Should urgent ERCP be performed in acute biliary pancreatitis?