Definition:
Gastroparesis happens when the muscles in the stomach are not properly functioning which prevents an individual from emptying properly.
Diagnosis:
Gastric emptying studies – most accurate way in diagnosing gatroparesis
Gastroduodenal manometry
Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy
Electrogastrogram
MRI
Treatment:
Change in diet: small more frequent meals, low-fiber foods, foods low in fat, liquid and pureed foods, nutritional supplements, water therapy, feeding tube.
Medications: anti-emetics to control nausea and prokinetics to stimulate contractions of stomach muscles
Prokinetic drugs: metoclopramide, erythromycin, cisapride
Surgery when other medications fail
Emerging therapies: botulinum toxin (botox), electrical gastric stimulation
Symptoms and Signs:
Most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting and feeling full only after eating a few bites. Gastroparesis often cause bloating of the abdomen, heartburn, levels of blood sugar changes, lack of appetite and malnutrition.
Causes:
The most important nerve in the body which is the vagus nerve instructs the muscles in the stomach to contract in peristaltic waves and when the contractions slows down or completely stops the food does not move out of the stomach into the duodenum as it normally would. The destruction of the vagus nerve is the main cause of gastroparesis which can be a result of several factors which are diabetes, surgery, medications, cancer treatments and other disorders like anorexia and bulimia.
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