This is a double-blind (neither the physician nor the patient will know the name of assigned treatment) study to determine the effectiveness of cisapride tablets compared to placebo tablets (a tablet identical in appearance to cisapride but does not contain active drug) in patients with a primary diagnosis of idiopathic gastroparesis (a disorder of unknown cause in which the stomach empties its contents very slowly into the small intestine for digestion. Symptoms of gastroparesis may include vomiting, nausea, early feeling of fullness after only a few bites of food, weight loss due to poor absorption of nutrients or low calorie intake, abdominal bloating, poor glycemic (blood sugar) control, lack of appetite, and pain in the stomach area. Patients will take study drug (one 10-mg tablet of cisapride, or one tablet of placebo), orally, 4 times a day, for a period of 8 weeks. Study drug will be taken approximately 15 minutes before each meal, and, with a beverage, before going to bed.
The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of cisapride in patients with a primary diagnosis of chronic gastroparesis (a stomach disorder) of unknown cause.