2/14/24 People with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery controlled their blood pressure more effectively and took fewer medications at 5 years than those who only received antihypertensive medications, according to findings from a randomized clinical trial. The study involved 100 women and men living with obesity and hypertension who took an average of 3 blood pressure medications. You can read the study HERE at ScienceDirect Journal of The American College of Cardiology.
About 81% of people who received Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) cut the number of medications they were taking by 30% and maintained blood pressure readings lower than 140/90 mm Hg. Nearly half stopped taking medications altogether while still controlling their blood pressure. In comparison, only 14% of the medication group were able to take fewer medications and 2% achieved remission.
Although the study did not assess “hard” outcomes including mortality or major cardiovascular events, the results do suggest that RYGB and other types of bariatric surgery should be considered as a way to manage obesity and poorly controlled hypertension after lifestyle efforts fail, the authors of a linked editorial wrote in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Article Information
Emily Harris
JAMA. Published online February 14, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.0355