Clinical Overview
Reviewed by Michael Fuller, MD

What causes gastroparesis?

The most common cause of gastroparesis is diabetes. People with diabetes have high blood glucose, also called blood sugar, which in turn causes chemical changes in nerves and damages the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves. Over time, high blood glucose can damage the vagus nerve.

Some other causes of gastroparesis are:

Surgery on the stomach or vagus nerve
Viral infections
Anorexia nervosa or bulimia
Medications – anticholinergics and narcotics – that slow contractions in the intestine
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Smooth muscle disorders, such as amyloidosis and scleroderma
Nervous system diseases, including abdominal migraine and Parkinson’s disease
Metabolic disorders, including hypothyroidism

Many people have what is called idiopathic gastroparesis, meaning the cause is unknown and cannot be found even after medical tests.

Last updated: Dec-19-07