Pharmacotherapy of gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a relatively common and often disabling condition that is characterized by a broad range of clinical presentation ranging from dyspeptic symptoms to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, malnutrition, frequent hospitalizations and incapacitation. The treatment of gastroparetic symptoms can be challenging to the gastroenterologist and the intensity of therapy varies with the physician's knowledge. Hence the determination that a patient is refractory to 'standard medical therapy' is an assessment that is subspeciality-based and could differ around the world depending on medications available. In this article, we review the use of available prokinetics, antiemetic agents, the approach for analgesia in the context of gastroparesis, and also discuss potential and evolving pharmacotherapies. The progress has been relatively limited as far as availability of new medications for gastroparesis is concerned; however, active research in developing newer prokinetics holds great promise for the future of management of this challenging entity.