| As the problem of obesity continues to increase in the | | | | as the study group and yet the group of patients |
| West we are becoming more and more | | | | showed a total of 30 deaths from suicide and drug |
| knowledgeable about the health risks of being | | | | overdoses. |
| significantly overweight and of the increased risk of | | | | If we look at these findings and set them alongside our |
| death resulting from obesity. But just how far are | | | | wider knowledge about people undergoing weight loss |
| these risks lowered by weight loss surgery? | | | | surgery then we may possibly explain this variation to |
| A recent study looked at the records of a large | | | | a certain degree. |
| number of people who had bariatric surgery from the | | | | In spite of the fact that bariatric surgery is usually very |
| start of 1995 to the end of 2004 and discovered that | | | | successful it is often not carried out until people are at |
| approximately one percent of patients died within | | | | risk from other conditions or comorbidities and, while |
| twelve months of surgery and approximately 6 | | | | surgery will cure a number of these problems and |
| percent died within 5 years. When these statistics had | | | | lower the risks from others, many people still remain at |
| been adjusted for age and sex and matched against | | | | some degree of risk following surgery. In many cases |
| figures for the population as a whole they were | | | | for example people continue to be troubled by such |
| discovered to be fairly high. So what does this tell us | | | | things as high blood pressure and diabetes and it is |
| about the ability of weight loss surgery to lower the | | | | perhaps not surprising that this section of the |
| overall risk to our health? | | | | population remains at higher risk from heart disease. |
| If we want to find the answer this particular question | | | | Furthermore, while weight loss surgery may result in a |
| then we need to look behind the headline figures and | | | | significant weight loss many people remain very much |
| look at just why these deaths happened and where | | | | overweight for a considerable time following surgery |
| the true difference lies between the population at large | | | | and some people will stay that way for years to |
| and obesity patients. | | | | come. |
| If we examine the detailed figures two particular things | | | | Finally, the changes in lifestyle which follow surgery can |
| stand out. | | | | be dramatic and many people find that depression |
| The first is the figure for deaths resulting from heart | | | | sets during the weeks and months following their |
| disease which is the major cause of death in the | | | | surgery. Indeed much attention is given to the physical |
| obesity patients and is substantially above that found in | | | | affects of surgery and the requirement for such things |
| the general population. | | | | as a strictly controlled diet and an exercise program |
| The second is the figure for deaths resulting from | | | | but, frequently, very little more than lip service is paid to |
| suicide and from drug overdoses which, although not | | | | the psychological affects of surgery. |
| officially classed as suicide, must nonetheless raise the | | | | Time will reveal the extent to which this explanation |
| question of whether or not such overdoses were truly | | | | holds water but there is little doubt that improvements |
| accidents. In the general population you might expect | | | | to follow-up care for gastric bypass patients would go |
| to see roughly 2 suicides in a group of the same size | | | | a long way to solving this variation. |