Does Weight Loss Surgery Reduce Heart Disease Risk?

Bariatric surgery - weight loss surgery - is being used much more commonly than in the past. Weight loss surgery usually leads to a significant loss of pounds, which is its main purpose, but it has also been assumed that obese patients who subject themselves to these procedures will also reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, solid evidence that bariatric surgery results in reduced cardiac risk has been lacking.

A new study, recently published in the American Journal of Cardiology, attempts to clarify this question. While this study also falls short of providing absolute proof, it does offer strong evidence that the risk factor reduction that usually accompanies effective bariatric surgery can be expected to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. You can read about this new evidence here.