Device offers alternative treatment for gastroparesis
An electrical stimulation device to speed up the digestion in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes is showing promising results in the improvement of glycemic control, according to Med Page Today. The device works by discharging electrical current into the gastric antrum. It was originally developed as a nonpharmacologic alternative for treatment of gastroparesis, which is often treated with the medication Reglan (metoclopramide).
Some patients with gastroparesis don’t respond to treatment and some may experience severe adverse events from the medication. For example, Reglan recently fell under a black box warning after reports of a serious movement disorder called Tardive Dyskinesia in some patients who took the medication. Given the risks of medication, alternative therapies like the stimulation device seem more attractive.