Causes Of Gastroparesis

Diabetes

Diabetes, which occurs when the blood glucose levels are above normal, is considered to be the most common cause of gastroparesis. Blood glucose levels being extremely high for a long time can interfere with the functioning of the vagus nerve as well as other organs involved in the digestive process. Additionally, a high sugar presence in the blood puts a lot of stress on the blood vessels that transport oxygen to the body's nerves.

A remedy for preventing diabetic gastroparesis is by cutting down on foods high in processed sugar and monitoring blood glucose levels. Keep your diet low in fat and fiber as these elements work against stomach emptying. Eat more soft and easy to chew foods. Eating smaller portions can also help with gastroparesis symptoms. In addition, your doctor could suggest you take more insulin or change when you take it.

Gastroparesis affects just as many patients with Type 1 diabetes as those with Type 2, and some patients who develop gastroparesis are diabetic for more than a decade.

Continue reading to discover how medication can result in this condition.

Medications

Individuals can come down with gastroparesis by the intake of medications like narcotics, calcium channel blockers, anticholinergics, and antidepressants, which are thought to slow down the movement of food from the stomach. Some of these are used to treat conditions like high blood pressure and for relieving pain.

Interferon alfa, a medicine known to treat several types of cancer along with hepatitis, is one of the many specific medications believed to cause gastroparesis. Lithium, a treatment for bipolar disorder, has been named as a risk factor for gastroparesis. Dopamine receptor agonists, for treating Parkinson's disease, and aluminum hydroxide antacids may play a role as well.

Another medicine shown to stimulate gastroparesis is clonidine. Studies suggest this drug could be useful for treating the condition as well; however, there isn't enough evidence to support this theory. Other medications linked to gastroparesis include anti-diabetic drugs such as pramlintide, liraglutide, and exenatide.

Continue reading to learn about precisely how Parkinson's disease can result in gastroparesis.