Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis diabeticorum; Delayed gastric emptying

Last reviewed: November 11, 2010.



Gastroparesis is a condition that reduces the ability of the stomach to empty its contents, but there is no blockage (obstruction).



Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The cause of gastroparesis is unknown, but it may be caused by a disruption of nerve signals to the stomach. The condition is a common complication of diabetes and can be a complication of some surgeries.



Risk factors for gastroparesis include:



•Diabetes



•Gastrectomy (surgery to remove part of the stomach)



•Systemic sclerosis



•Use of medication that blocks certain nerve signals (anticholinergic medication)



Symptoms

•Abdominal distention



•Hypoglycemia (in people with diabetes)



•Nausea



•Premature abdominal fullness after meals



•Weight loss without trying



•Vomiting



Signs and tests

•Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)



•Gastric emptying study (using isotope labeling)



•Upper GI series



Treatment

People with diabetes should always control their blood sugar levels. Better control of blood sugar levels may improve symptoms of gastroparesis. Eating small meals and soft (well-cooked) foods may also help relieve some symptoms.



Medications that may help include:



•Cholinergic drugs, which act on acetylcholine nerve receptors



•Erythromycin



•Metoclopramide, a medicine that helps empty the stomach



•Serotonin antagonist drugs, which act on serotonin receptors



Other treatments may include:



•Botulinum toxin (Botox) injected into the outlet of the stomach (pylorus)



•Surgical procedure that creates an opening between the stomach and small intestine to allow food to move through the digestive tract more easily (gastroenterostomy)



Expectations (prognosis)

Many treatments seem to provide only temporary benefit.



Complications

Persistent nausea and vomiting may cause:



•Dehydration



•Electrolyte imbalances



•Malnutrition



People with diabetes may have serious complications from poor blood sugar control.



Calling your health care provider

Apply home treatment such as managing your diet. Call your health care provider if symptoms continue or if you have new symptoms.



References

1.Koch KL. Gastric neuromuscular function and neuromuscular disorders. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2010:chap 48.

Review Date: 11/11/2010.



Reviewed by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001342/

Are you choosing between food, gas and meds?

We know that some of you are very hungery.
Here are some ways to get some food.
Bless you.


Food Assistance for Disaster Relief
FNS’s Food Distribution Division has the primary responsibility of supplying food to disaster relief organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army for mass feeding or household distribution. Disaster organizations request food and nutrition assistance through State agencies that run USDA’s nutrition assistance programs. State agencies notify USDA of the types and quantities of food that relief organizations need for emergency feeding operations.
Food Stamp Program
The Food Stamp Program helped put food on the table for some 10.3 million households and 23.9 million individuals each day in Fiscal Year 2004. It provides low-income households with coupons or electronic benefits they can use like cash at most grocery stores to ensure that they have access to a healthy diet.
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the lunch program get cash subsidies and donated commodities from the USDA for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve lunches that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price lunches to eligible children. School food authorities can also be reimbursed for snacks served to children through age 18 in afterschool educational or enrichment programs.
School Breakfast Program (SBP)
The School Breakfast Program operates in the same manner as the National School Lunch Program. School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the breakfast program receive cash subsidies from the USDA for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve breakfasts that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price breakfasts to eligible children.
Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program awards grants to States, United States territories, and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments to provide low-income seniors with coupons that can be exchanged for eligible foods at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs.
Special Milk Program (SMP)
Participating schools and institutions receive reimbursement from the USDA for each half pint of milk served. They must operate their milk programs on a non-profit basis. They agree to use the Federal reimbursement to reduce the selling price of milk to all children.
State Processing Program
The State Processing Program allows States and eligible recipient agencies such as school districts to contract with commercial food processors to convert bulk or raw USDA commodities into more convenient ready-to-use end products. Most of the commodities processed through this program go to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. Once the donated food is made available to States, the overall organization and administration of the State Processing Program become the responsibilities of the State agency.
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
SFSP is the single largest Federal resource available for local sponsors who want to combine a feeding program with a summer activity program. Children in your community do not need to go hungry this summer. During the school year, nutritious meals are available through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. But those programs end when school ends for the summer. The Summer Food Service Program helps fill the hunger gap.
Team Nutrition
Team Nutrition is a USDA initiative to provide training and technical assistance for foodservice, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. Team Nutrition's Goal is to improve children's lifelong eating and physical activity habits by using the principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
Under TEFAP, commodity foods are made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to States. States provide the food to local agencies that they have selected, usually food banks, which in turn, distribute the food to soup kitchens and food pantries that directly serve the public.
Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children - better known as the WIC Program - serves to safeguard the

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