Weight-loss surgery significantly reduces the risk of heart problems in obese teens with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. Teens who have the surgery can see their long-term risk for heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke and coronary death lowered nearly threefold, compared with obese teens whose diabetes is medically managed, researchers say. “The mitigation in risk does not seem to be completely activated or ascribed to weight loss, but largely to the remission of diabetes,” said the lead author. With patients needing to make significant changes in diet and lifestyle after surgery. “So, even though we’re seeing these great results, I think it’s really important to acknowledge that this is a huge commitment, and it’s not an easy fix,” said the lead author. The study team compared the odds for cardiovascular disease over 5 years in two groups of teens with type 2 diabetes. One group of 30 had weight-loss surgery; the other 63 teens did not. While teens who had surgery saw their long-term risk for heart disease fall, those who didn’t have surgery saw their risk rise. The investigators attributed the lower risk for heart disease after weight-loss surgery to lower blood sugar levels, lower weight, lower blood pressure and higher levels of HDL cholesterol.
