- Metabolic surgery helps to control not only the patient’s weight but also conditions such as diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension.
- The surgery makes 99% of people with diabetes wean off insulin.
- Diabetes mellitus is the third leading cause of death in our country, only after cardiovascular diseases and Covid-19.
Health problems are constantly increasing and diabetes is one of the main ones. Aspects such as changes in lifestyle are responsible for the high incidence. While the biggest drawback of this condition is that it has no cure, therefore it can only be controlled and it is necessary to follow a treatment for life.
On the other hand, this condition is also related to other diseases such as renal, ophthalmological and cardiovascular disorders. In our country alone, according to the national health survey, there are more than 7 million people with type II diabetes mellitus.
“80% of cases are associated with overweight and obesity. A patient with excess body mass is more than three times more likely to suffer from diabetes, while one with obesity and also with risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and high triglycerides is up to 16 times more likely to suffer from this disease than the rest”, comments Dr. Fernando Pérez Galáz, Bariatric surgeon at the Santa Fé Gastrobátric Clinic.
There are no healthy obese patients
Obesity is a disease that affects different organs and causes insulin resistance, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hypertension, heart disease and various joint and musculoskeletal disorders.
Currently there are different treatments for this terrible disease. The specialist adds that it has been proven that the bariatric surgery It is the most effective treatment compared to other medical treatments.
In the STAMPEDE study published in February 2019 in the journal New England Journal of Medicine The glucose control results of patients with type II diabetes mellitus with intensive medical treatment (diet, exercise, and oral hypoglycemic agents) were compared with patients with surgical treatment (gastric sleeve and gastric bypass). 45% of the patients who received surgical treatment had a complete remission of the disease compared to less than 2% of the patients who received intensive medical treatment.
Advantages of bariatric surgery over medical treatment
- Normalization of glycosylated hemoglobin in 12 months.
- 45 to 75% chance of diabetes remission in 48 months.
- Improvement in glycemic control.
- Delay in the presentation of complications related to diabetes mellitus.
According to Dr. Fernando Pérez Galaz, “there are more and more patients and data indicating that bariatric surgery It is a safe and effective option for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus.
Current clinical evidence indicates that surgical treatments are superior to medical treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes. This evidence can be found in more than 11 randomized trials with level 1 evidence, as well as large long-term case-controlled studies comparing surgery. o medical (standard) treatment in overweight/obese patients with type 2 diabetes.
For whom is this type of procedure indicated?
Metabolic surgery is indicated in patients with obesity who have associated type II diabetes mellitus of less than 10 years of evolution.
Usually older than 18 and younger than 70. patients with type 2 diabetes that cannot be effectively controlled with intensive medical treatment (drugs, diet and physical exercise).
Patients in special conditions linked to certain biochemical tests that arise from individual evaluation.
The results after surgery show a decrease to even the absence of the need for diabetes medication, depending on each particular case. Cardiovascular risks, blood lipid values and the need for antihypertensive medication are reduced.
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