- Expertise
- Compassion
- Success
Lose the Weight and
Gain Back Your Life!
Bariatric Surgery May Improve These 3 Medical Conditions
Bariatric surgeries are the procedures that bring huge benefits if you are affected by obesity.
Some of these benefits include a potential improvement in the symptoms of certain medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea. Let’s explore how bariatric surgery may improve these conditions.
What Is Bariatric Surgery?
Gastric bypass and other weight loss (bariatric) surgeries are medically indicated when diet and exercise are ineffective for those struggling with obesity. Obesity is defined as having a significantly higher body weight than is generally considered healthy for a person given their height. Typically, a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 indicates a person is more than 40 kilograms overweight and thereby at risk for a range of serious health conditions.
Bariatric Surgery and Diabetes
Bariatric surgery procedures decrease the size and capacity of the stomach, in turn decreasing appetite, the volume of food that can be comfortably consumed and the number of calories absorbed by the small intestine.
Bariatric surgery can also affect certain hormones to reduce a person’s appetite and improve how their body metabolizes fat and uses insulin. This is a good thing for patients with type 2 diabetes, because their illness causes them to develop insulin resistance. As the body begins to metabolize sugar more efficiently, some people may require less medication or even experience remission of type 2 diabetes.
Potential Effects on Hypertension
The heart pumps blood throughout the body and supplies oxygen to body tissues. Increased weight puts intense strain on the heart muscle, as well as the vascular system. Our hearts can adapt to these extra needs, through increasing heart rate and the amount of blood flow per heartbeat. However, the heart can’t handle these continuous high demands forever.
After weight loss surgery, a person’s blood pressure naturally decreases as the excessive demands on the heart are relieved. Changes in weight and in the body’s fluid levels can allow hypertension to decrease and heart health to improve. Bariatric surgery can effectively reduce the risk of heart disease, hypertension and heart attacks.
Bariatric Surgery May Improve Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Bariatric surgery is also known as one of the most effective treatments for sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition where the soft tissues of the airway collapse and lead to disruptions in breathing, frequent waking and often snoring. This can in turn lead to fatigue, headaches, depression, attention and memory issues, depression or even sexual dysfunction.
Studies indicate that OSA is also associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents. Obstructive sleep apnea is much more likely to occur in obese individuals. Weight loss surgery can lead to decreased sleep apnea symptoms.
Research actually shows that the majority of patients no longer require the use of a CPAP machine to assist breathing at night and experience remission by one year after surgery.
Contact Dr V Kuzinkovas
If you are considering bariatric surgery and have additional concerns or questions about the potential medical benefits of weight loss surgery, reach out to Dr V Kuzinkovas and schedule a consultation at Advanced Surgicare at your convenience, by calling 1300 551 533.