Symptoms of patients obese heart failure improved after Bariatric Surgery

PharmaLive.com (14 November 2010) - a small Mayo clinical study found that obesity morbid congestive heart failure patients undergoing Bariatric Surgery gain lasting and significant improvements in symptoms of disease and the quality of life. The results were presented on 15 November at the American Heart Association scientific sessions 2010 in Chicago.

"This tells us that Bariatric Surgery can be part of the treatment of patients with heart failure and obesity if no major contraindication to surgery - and that this could be particularly important for patients with significant obesity," says principal investigator of the study, cardiologist Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, MD

He warned, however, that because the study tested the effects of surgery Bariatric patients only 13, "should consider these preliminary results suggestive of benefits, but additional research is needed to confirm these results."

Even if one third of patients with heart failure are obese, it seems that cardiologists do not often reference obese patients suffering from heart failure for surgery Bariatric, said Mr. Jimenez Lopez.

The research team examined the results of 13 patients, 44 and 64 years who received Bariatric Surgery at the Minnesota between 1990 and 2005, Mayo Clinic as well as congestive heart failure, six patients aged 52-72, which was followed by Mayo Clinic nutrition and has not received the surgery.

In the group who received surgery mean body mass index (BMI) was 53 and in the Group of comparison, it was 42.After a four-year follow-up average BMI dropped 37 surgery group and pink group at 45.

Based on surveys of patients, the researchers found that the quality of life has been improved considerably patients who received surgery Bariatric, that heart failure patients who do not have.Researchers also found that symptoms such as swelling in the legs and labored breathing during exercise only in the surgery group.

Mr. Lopez-Jimenez says that the benefits of health observed in patients who have had bariatric surgery has produced even though most remained overweight."These patients had levels very advanced obesity before surgery, and even though they have lost large amounts of weight, most remains obèse.ainsi, these results suggest that advantage does not patients require reach a normal weight,"he said.""

Other authors of the study are William Miranda, MD;Sarr, MD; MichaelMaria Collazo-Clavell, MD;Matthew Clark, Ph. d..and Virend Somers, M.D., Dr..;all clinic Mayo and John Batsis, MD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

Editor's note: this article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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The story above is reproduced (with drafting adaptations by PharmaLive.com staff) of materials supplied by the Mayo Clinic.

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