Diabetes and Gastroparesis

• Diabetes and gastroparesis often occur together, since diabetes leads to high blood glucose levels which leads to damaged blood vessels. Poor circulation to the vagus nerve can cause gastroparesis.
  
  

Gastroparesis

• Gastroparesis involves the stomach muscle struggling to empty out its contents.
  
  

Symptoms

• Gastroparesis causes a variety of problems with the digestive system. The pain, nausea and burning caused by gastroparesis can be very distracting and lower the quality of life for patients.
  
  

Complications

• Food that remains too long in the stomach attracts diseases and also hardens, potentially clogging the intestinal tract.
  
  

Treatment

• Gastroparesis caused by diabetes must first be treated by bringing the diabetes under control. Once this has been done, medications like metoclopramide, erythromycin and domperidone can help stimulate stomach contractions.
  
  

Diagnosis

• Gastroparesis is diagnosed by having the patient consume radioactive food and then observing the food with an X-ray.