Another advantage of bariatric surgery – controlling high blood pressure.

With the worldwide increase in obesity, and the failure of almost all dietary plans to reduce it, bariatric surgery is now becoming an option that many are turning to. There is good evidence that bariatric surgery reduces obesity, and diabetes, in fact in many cases cures diabetes. When one looks at the long-term costs of the medical management, and drugs, the cost of the operation is usually a great deal less.

A recent small study from Brazil compared 49 patients with high blood pressure who had bariatric surgery, with 49 control patients who had optimal medical treatment. In those who had bariatric surgery, within a year they were 6 times more likely to have cut back on the number of blood pressure medications by about a 3rd, and half of the surgical patients did not need any blood pressure medication at all.

While bariatric surgery should not be considered as a method of treating high blood pressure, the small study does show the benefits of weight loss using this technique and may tip the scales in making a decision as to whether or not to proceed with the operation.