Diabetes is the most common cause of gastroparesis or delayed gastric emptying. This is because high blood glucose causes chemical changes of nerves, including the vagus nerve, which controls the movement of food through the digestive tract. Hyperglycemia also damages the blood vessels which carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves, further impair their functioning.
When the vagus nerve is damaged, then the passage of food through the stomach by the digestive track slows down or even stop. People often suffer from a wide range of gastroparesis symptoms, making the condition difficult to diagnose. Frequency and severity of symptoms also vary widely from one individual to another. Common symptoms are:
heartburnnauseaupper abdominal painloss of appetitebloatingstomach spasmsweight non-digested lossvomiting full foodfeeling after having eaten of the small amountsgastroesophageal refluxhigh or low blood sugar
Food that is not digested in the stomach can harden into solid masses called bezoars. Bezoars cause not only nausea and vomiting; they can be dangerous if they block the passage of food in the small intestine. Undigested food can also ferment, leading to the proliferation of bacteria.
Gastroparesis may complicate the control of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes by delaying food in the stomach into the intestine. This irregular passage of food through the results of the digestive system in blood glucose levels erratic and unpredictable. When food is finally absorbed, blood sugar levels may increase unexpectedly.
Thus, diabetic patients with gastroparesis must check their blood glucose frequently. Should perhaps adjust their insulin therapy, change the type of insulin they take or take their insulin after meals, instead of before maintain appropriate levels of insulin.
Gastroparesis is usually a chronic condition. Although it cannot be cured, it can be treated. People with gastroparesis are advised to eat six small meals a day instead of three big meals and avoid hard to digest fibre and high fatty foods and soft drinks. Severe cases may require a liquid diet, or even a feeding tube.
Patients often receive an antagonist of dopamine, such as prescription domperidone for gastroparesis. Domperidone (Motilium generic) deals with the symptoms of the State and gastroparesis like nausea, vomiting, bloating and a feeling "full". Some patients will require antibiotics.
There is reason to hope for people suffering from gastroparesis. Potential treatments still in the early stages include gastric electrical stimulation, the use of botulinum toxin and experimental drugs.
