Sandie S-R
Well-Known Member
I found this article interesting and thought I would share with you all.
Heart Deaths, Suicides Up After Weight Loss Surgery
Content provided by Reuters
Thursday, November 8, 2007
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Among people who have undergone so-called
bariatric surgery for obesity, death rates are higher than seen among
other people of the same age, new research shows. In particular,
deaths due to suicide and coronary heart disease are higher than
might be expected normally. The study looked at data for all
Pennsylvania residents who underwent a bariatric operation such as
stomach stapling or gastric bypass between 1995 and 2004. Deaths in
these patients were compared with those seen in the general
population.
A total of 440 deaths were noted after 16,683 weightloss procedures
during the study period, Dr. Lewis H. Kuller, from the University of
Pittsburgh, and colleagues report.
Male gender and advancing age were both associated with increased
death rates, according to the team's report in the Archives of
Surgery.
For all age groups, the death rate was much higher in bariatric
surgery patients than in the general population.
The difference was particularly pronounced for patients between 25
and 34 years of age. In this group, the death rates for male and
female patients were 13.8 and 5.0 per 1000 persons per year,
respectively, compared with rates of 1.3 and 0.6 per 1000 persons per
year in the general population.
The most common cause of death was coronary heart disease, the report
indicates. In addition, there were 16 suicides, 10 of them women.
Based on data from the general population, the authors estimate that
only three suicide deaths would have been expected in this number of
people.
Kuller's group says the excess deaths after bariatric surgery could
be reduced by better control of high blood pressure, diabetes, high
cholesterol, and smoking, "as well as efforts to prevent weight
regain by diet and exercise, and psychological support to treat
depression and prevent suicide."
SOURCE: Archives of Surgery, October 2007.
http://www.lifescript.com/channels/..._suicides_ up_after_ weight_loss_ surgery.asp
