Weight-Loss Surgery Benefits Blood Pressure Management

TUESDAY, Sept. 10, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Bariatric surgery emerges as a durable solution for obesity-related hypertension, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2024, held from Sept. 5 to 8 in Chicago.

Sneha Annie Sebastian, M.D., from Azeezia Medical College in Kerala, India, and a residency candidate from Alberta, Canada, and colleagues synthesized findings from 18 pivotal randomized controlled trials (1,386 patients with obesity) to evaluate the long-term effects of bariatric surgery on hypertension in individuals with obesity compared to medical or lifestyle management. 

The researchers found that in a pooled analysis, there was a statistically significant difference in the rate of hypertension remission between patients who underwent bariatric surgery versus patients on medical or lifestyle management (risk ratio [RR], 2.77; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.26 to 6.10). Relatedly, there was a substantial reduction in the use of antihypertensive medications while maintaining controlled blood pressure (RR, 7.10; 95 percent CI, 4.38 to 11.51), with no heterogeneity among findings. There were also significant improvements in systolic blood pressure control associated with bariatric surgery.

“Bariatric surgery is an effective solution for managing obesity-related hypertension,” Sebastian said in a statement. “Future research should focus on conducting randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up and large sample sizes, with a specific emphasis on hypertension outcomes, as many currently focus on diabetes outcomes.”

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