Is there any Relationship between Weight Loss Surgery and Heart Attacks?
18 Jan
A new scientific study in Sweden has found that overweight patients who have undergone weight loss surgical procedures, such as a gastric bypass or gastric band, are less likely to suffer from heart attacks in later life; and are also less likely to die if they do have a heart attack than obese people.
The comprehensive research looked at the cases of over 4,000 overweight and obese people who were treated throughout Sweden over a period of 13 years. Half of this number were those who had elected to have bariatric surgery, either the gastric bypass procedure or the fitting of a gastric band, while the other half had decided against the procedure.
Of the 2,000 who had the weight loss surgery, nearly 200 suffered a heart attack or stroke during the period of the study with 28 of those unfortunately passing away. This compared very favourably to the figures from the group who refused weight loss surgery, 234 of whom suffered a heart attack or stroke in the following years with almost 50 dying as a result.
Although the study doesn’t provide a conclusive link between weight loss surgery and a reduction in the risk of suffering a heart attack, it does suggest that it is never too late to get help to improve your chances of a long and healthy life. Many of those who had the gastric band surgery had been overweight for many years, and had already put their hearts under a lot of strain.
However, by electing to have the weight loss surgery they gave themselves the best possible chances of either avoiding heart problems altogether or surviving them if they did have a heart attack or stroke in later life.
Of course, weight loss procedures, as with any surgery, do come with some risks and those who are at a high risk from heart problems or who have suffered a heart attack previously should be aware that the operation itself will be more dangerous for them. Gastric band procedures are less risky in these situations than gastric bypass and can be just as effective in dealing even with extreme obesity.
