What causes gastroparesis?
The most common known cause of gastroparesis is diabetes. At least 20 percent of people with type I diabetes develop gastroparesis. It can also occur in people with type 2 diabetes, although less often. Other causes of gastroparesis include a prolonged post-viral syndrome, complications from stomach or ulcer surgery, certain medications, immune diseases like
Lupus or Scleroderma, and other muscular and neurological disorders in the body.
Gastroparesis happens when nerves to the stomach are damaged or stop working. The vagus nerve controls the motor function in the upper part of the digestive tract. If the vagus nerve is damaged, the muscles of the stomach and intestines do not work normally, and the movement of food is slowed or stopped. Diabetes can damage the vagus nerve if blood glucose (sugar) levels remain high over a long period of time. High blood glucose causes chemical changes in nerves and damages the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves.
Medications may cause delayed gastric emptying, mimicking the symptoms of gastroparesis; this is especially common with narcotic pain medications, calcium channel blockers and certain antidepressant medications. It is important to have the names of all your medications recorded and with you when you see a physician for evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms. People with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia may also develop gastroparesis. Fortunately, gastric emptying resumes and symptoms improve when food intake and eating schedules normalize.
Other causes include infections, endocrine disorders, connective tissue disorders like scleroderma, neuromuscular diseases, idiopathic (unknown) causes, cancer, radiation treatment applied over the chest or abdomen, some forms of chemotherapy, and surgery of the upper intestinal tract. Any surgery on the esophagus, stomach or duodenum may result in injury to the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is responsible for many sensory and motor (muscle) responses of the intestine. In health, the vagus sends neurotransmitter impulses to the smooth muscle of the stomach that results in contraction and forward propulsion of gastric contents. If the vagus is injured during surgery gastric emptying may not occur. Symptoms of postoperative gastroparesis may develop immediately or even years after a surgery is performed. |
More information on gastroparesis
What is gastroparesis? - Gastroparesis is a stomach disorder in which the stomach takes too long in emptying its contents. Gastroparesis happens when nerves to the stomach are damaged or stop working.
What causes gastroparesis? - The most common known cause of gastroparesis is diabetes. Other causes of gastroparesis include a prolonged post-viral syndrome, complications from stomach or ulcer surgery.
What are the symptoms of gastroparesis? - Symptoms of gastroparesis include bloating, nausea, early fullness while eating meals, heartburn, and epigastric pain.
What are the complications of gastroparesis? - Gastroparesis can make diabetes worse by adding to the difficulty of controlling blood glucose.
How is gastroparesis diagnosed? - A history of early satiety, bloating, nausea, regurgitation or vomiting with meals would normally prompt an evaluation to determine the cause of gastroparesis.
What are the treatments for gastroparesis? - Treatment of gastroparesis usually includes diet changes and medications. Gastroparesis is treated with medications that stimulate contractions of the stomach muscles.
Gastroparesis diet - Changing eating habits can help control gastroparesis. People with gastroparesis should reduce their intake of fiber or avoid these foods. |
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