Transcript Gastroparesis Pd_ 4

Gastroparesis
Edmond Tai, Kar Yi Lim,
Vivian Lin, Chan Park
What is Gastroparesis?
Gastroparesis is a disorder that prevents the
effective digestion of food. Usually food is
pushed through the body by the muscles
throughout the digestive organs. A person with
gastroparesis has trouble digesting because
the muscles of the stomach are not effective.
It takes them longer than normal to digest
food.
How does gastroparesis develop?
Gastroparesis is believed to be caused by damage to
the vagus nerve which controls the stomach
muscles. The vagus nerve controls the digestive
processes and tells the stomach when to release
food into the small intestine.
The vagus nerve can be damaged by diseases such
as diabetes or surgery involving the stomach or small
intestine.
Risk factors for gastroparesis include:
• Diabetes
• Gastrectomy - surgical removal of all or part of the
stomach
• Systemic sclerosis - a systemic connective tissue
disease
• Use of medication that inhibits certain nerve
signals (anticholinergic medication)
How can gastroparesis be diagnosed?
Medical history is where the physician may suspect the
diagnosis based on the symptoms.
o
In severe cases, a physical exam and blood test may show evidence.
Doctors use several tests to help diagnose gastroparesis and
rule out conditions that may cause similar symptoms.
The best methods of diagnosis:
• Measuring the time it takes for your stomach to empty.
o how long it takes for food to more through the stomach
• Using a scope to see inside your stomach.
o upper endoscopy may help rule out other conditions that
can cause delayed gastric emptying
What are the symptoms of gastroparesis?
• Abdominal distention
• Nausea
• Premature abdominal
fullness after meals
• Unintentional weight loss
and malnutrition
• Vomiting
• Change in blood sugar
levels
• Heartburn or
gastroesophageal reflux
Gastroparesis can also cause serious problems such as
bezoars and irritate those with diabetes in addition to the
ones mentioned above.
Complications of Gastroparesis
Primary complications of gastroparesis include:
• Fluctuations in blood glucose (in diabetic patients)
• General malnutrition due to the symptoms of the disease
(which frequently include vomiting and reduced appetite)
• Severe fatigue and weight loss due to calorie deficit
• Intestinal obstruction due to the formation of solid masses of
undigested food (bezoars)
• Bacterial infection due to overgrowth in undigested food
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastroparesis/DS00612
2. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastroparesis/
3.
https://health.google.com/health/ref/Gastroparesis#Symptoms
4. http://www.gicare.com/diseases/Gastroparesis.aspx