Weight Loss Surgery Benefits on Hypertension

Weight loss surgery is known to help treat various medical conditions in morbid-obese and obese patients. One such medical condition that can be treated as a result of bariatric surgery is hypertension or high blood pressure. It is important to lower increased blood pressure as it makes the heart work extra hard, this leads to the hardening of the arteries surrounding the heart. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, high blood pressure also increases a patient’s risk of stroke and heart disease and can also lead to blindness, heart failure and kidney disease.

Weight & High Blood Pressure and Diabetes Diagnosis

According to a Canadian Journal of Surgery study, nearly 51% of weight loss patients in their study had high blood pressure. The study shows that the longer a person remains obese, the more likely they are to develop hypertension as well as Diabetes. A blood pressure reading that shows systolic blood pressure over 140 and diastolic blood pressure over 90 is considered high by the American Heart Association.

Weight Loss Surgery and Blood Pressure Reduction

Unlike most studies who just evaluate short-term effect of weight loss and blood pressure, an American Heart Association study paid more attention to its long-term results. The study studied patients following surgery and then followed up with them after 2 years passed. The study showed that with every 10 kg loss (approximately 22 pounds), blood pressure lowered by 4.6 mm Hg and 6.0 mm Hg in diastolic and systolic blood pressure.

Surgery Leads to Blood Pressure Reduction

The University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center reports in their study that severely obese patients experience a significant improvement in their blood pressure reading as a result of weight loss surgery. The study published in the Archives of Surgery journal associated excess body weight with the onset of high blood pressure in the body. The study analyzed the data of 347 patients who were severely-obese prior to surgery.

Half of these patients were classified with high blood pressure, some being treated and others never before. The study shows that patients experienced large drops in blood pressure (whether diagnosed as high blood pressure or not) for more than 18 months after weight loss surgery. Nearly 1/3 of patients who used medication for high blood pressure before surgery were able to reduce their dosage or eliminate taking it altogether.

According to the study, their results suggest that the status of blood pressure in weight loss surgery patients may give a positive indicator of the improvement that can be achieved by future candidates for bariatric surgery.