Martin Huorka
Within the last 50 years, diabetic gastroparesis has become a well recognized complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
It is a syndrome characterized by abnormal gastric function, resulting in delayed emptying of the stomach in the
absence of any evident mechanical obstruction, predominantly manifested by early satiety, postprandial fullness, nausea,
vomiting, and weight loss. The past five-ten years have shown significant advances in its pathophysiology and in
new diagnostic tests. Prokinetic medications remain the therapeutic focus for improving clinical symptoms of gastroparesis
through enhanced gastric emptying. The choice of prokinetic drug is determined by local availability, the side
-effect profile, and the clinician’s personal experience with the drug, and there are few data comparing the drugs directly.
Itopride, the prokinetic agent is unique anddifferent from the available prokinetics because of its dual mode of
action and lack of significant drug interaction potential. By virtue of its efficacy and tolerability could be considered as
a drug of first choice and a welcome addition to the drug armamentarium for the symptomtomatic treatment of diabetic
gastroparesis and other disorders of gastric motility.