[Disorders of stomach emptying].

During the course of viral infections, acute delays in gastric emptying are common. Usually, dietary measures suffice, but treatment with dopamine antagonists with their additional antiemetic effect, may be beneficial. The major causes of chronic delayed emptying are diabetes mellitus with autonomic neuropathy, connective tissue diseases such as systemic sclerosis, and gastroparesis following gastric surgery. Diet alone is rarely effective, and prokinetic drugs should be prescribed. The new compound cisapride seems to be particularly effective. Abnormally rapid emptying occurs exclusively following surgical destruction of the gastric outlet and may lead to the dumping syndrome. In general this can be adequately controlled by dietary measures.