Conquering Diabetes with Bariatric Surgery

Posted: Nov 09 in Health Issues by Staff

Patients with Type 2 diabetes, often associated with obesity, benefit from bariatric surgery according to a resent study conducted by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Weight loss surgery can speed success in achieving optimal weight and at the same time lessen the severity of Type 2 diabetes. This results in both better health for the patient and savings in medical expenses.

The predicted continuation of the increasing number of people affected by Type 2 diabetes is a concern. Currently there are approximately 24 million people in the United States with the disease. Each year the numbers rise by about five percent. Researchers with the University of Chicago predict that if current trends are an indication of future increases, by the year 2034 the number of people with Type 2 diabetes will double at a huge cost in both health and money. Health care costs will increase from $113 billion to $336 billion if the trend isn’t stopped.

The good news is that bariatric surgery has real benefits for patients with Type 2 diabetes. According to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Type 2 diabetics noticed improvements in their diabetes immediately after surgery, before weight loss started to occur. The improvement was so rapid that of the patients studied, one-third stopped their diabetes medications before leaving the hospital.

The John Hopkins study also found rapid improvement in the patients’ Type 2 diabetes following bariatric surgery. The study revealed that almost 75% of the patients who had the weight loss surgery completely eliminated the need for medication within six months of having the surgery. After two years, nearly 85% of patients were off diabetes medication. By reducing weight and improving their health, the patients realized significant savings on medical expenses.