Being severely overweight can cause structural changes to the heart, reducing its function as the heart works harder to pump blood around the body, causing the muscle to grow larger. Unlike other muscles, as the heart grows larger, it performs less effectively. But weight loss surgery can play a big role in restoring lost heart function in extremely obese patients.
While nutrition and exercise are important as a first option for everyone in maintaining a healthy weight, surgeons at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Healthpoint have highlighted weight loss surgery options available to people suffering from severe or morbid obesity.
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Significant Challenge
According to research conducted by Cleveland Clinic in the United States, the heart can recover its natural shape and function following weight loss due to bariatric surgery.
“Obesity and its complications continue to be a significant challenge in Abu Dhabi and across the world. It’s important to highlight the positive benefits that reducing obesity can bring to overall health and quality of life. Losing weight through lifestyle changes or weight loss surgery in cases that may require it, is one of the best things a person can do to protect their heart,” says Dr. Matthew Kroh, Chair of the Digestive Disease Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Weight Loss Surgery Approvals
The Department of Health recently issued new guidelines to enable patients who require surgery to receive approval without undergoing the previously mandatory six months of lifestyle modifications and medication. The panel examining those guidelines concluded that eliminating the waiting time would benefit patients with serious complications, potentially saving their lives.
Patients who undergo bariatric surgery often have related conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or sleep apnea that can make it difficult for them to lose weight without surgical help. Bariatric surgery encompasses a wide range of approaches to help control a patient’s weight, ranging from temporary, minimally invasive approaches to permanent surgery to reduce the size of the stomach such as sleeve gastroplasty.
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Effective Tool
“Bariatric surgery can be an effective tool to help some obese patients. Weight loss surgery can result in significant weight loss and helps prevent, improve or resolve dozens of obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. With specific patients, it is an effective new tool to reduce the burden of heart disease,” says Dr. Mohammed Al Hadad, Head of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery at Healthpoint.