Gastric Bypass Surgery Helps Type 2 Diabetics

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Undergoing gastric bypass surgery along with lifestyle and medical changes increases the probability that mild to moderately obese patients with type 2 diabetes will have lower levels of heart risk factors, such as blood glucose levels and LDL cholesterol.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota studied 120 patients from hospitals in the United States and Taiwan over a 12 month period. The participants were split into two groups, one of which randomly assigned gastric bypass surgery and one of which was assigned only lifestyle and medical programs. After 12 months, 49 percent of the surgery group reached the medical endpoint, compared to only 18 percent of the lifestyle and medical group. However, there were 22 adverse heart events in the surgery group, compared to only 15 in the lifestyle and medical group.
For more information, contact: Matt DePoint, mdepoint@umn.edu
SOURCE: JAMA, June 2013