At one time, weight-loss surgery was largely considered a cosmetic procedure. But times have changed, and the more appropriately named “metabolic surgery” has proven to be not only effective, but safe. That’s true for seniors as well. In a recent post for Sixty & Me, Dr. Sasse explains whether weight-loss surgery for seniors is advised, or if it’s just too late.
From the Post
“In a recent large study by A.G. Doumouras, entitled Association Between Bariatric Surgery and All-Cause Mortality: A Population-Based Matched Cohort Study in a Universal Health Care System, the authors found:
‘Bariatric surgery was associated with substantially lower all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. The lowered observed mortality of surgery was significant across most subgroups. The largest absolute effects were for men and patients aged 55 years or older.’
While in the past, strategies focused on restricting calorie intake through a variety of stapling and encircling devices like bands and balloons, the more successful strategies involved changing the gastrointestinal tissues and the flow of nutrients.”
By changing these tissues, the long-term health benefits of metabolic surgery are significant. In addition to weight loss, metabolic surgery reduces risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer.
“Because these findings have become so well studied and widespread – including 30-year outcomes from entire nations and states – the medical societies and specialists who were once skeptics have provided strong endorsements for seniors.
In Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association, the authors write “reduced CAD risk has been demonstrated in prospective studies comparing patients undergoing bariatric surgery with nonsurgical patients with obesity, with the Swedish Obesity Study finding significantly lower rates of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events in those undergoing bariatric surgery.”
Read the post in full on Sixty & Me to learn more about the best candidates for weight-loss surgery.
