Bariatric Surgery and Its Impact on Reducing Heart Attack Risk

Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death, accounting for 17.3 million deaths per year which is expected to grow to more than 23.6 million by 2030. In 2008, cardiovascular deaths represented 30 percent of all global deaths, with 80 percent of those deaths taking place in low- and middle-income countries.

Cardiovascular diseases claim more lives than all forms of cancer combined.

Heart Attack Risk Factors

Smoking

Worldwide, tobacco smoking (including secondhand smoke) was one of the top three leading risk factors for disease and contributed to an estimated 6.2 million deaths in 2010.
In 2012 there were approximately 6,300 new cigarette smokers every day.

Physical Activity

Among students in grades 9-12, only about 27 percent meet the American Heart Association recommendation of 60 minutes of exercise every day.

Healthy Diet

Eating patterns have changed dramatically in recent decades. Research from 1971 to 2004 showed that women consumed an average of 22 percent more calories in that span and men consumed an average of 10 percent more leading to overweight and obesity.

Overweight/Obesity

In 2008, an estimated 1.46 billion adults worldwide were overweight or obese. The prevalence of obesity was estimated at 205 million men and 297 million Women.

High Blood Pressure

About 69 percent of people who have a first heart attack, 77 percent of people who have a first stroke and 74 percent who have congestive heart failure have blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg.
Nearly half of people with high blood pressure (46 percent) do not have it under control.

Bariatric Surgery and Heart Diseases:

After Bariatric Surgery for Diabetes and weight loss, people also reduce their risk of having a heart attack by 40 percent over a 10-year time period. These results were presented by researchers from Cleveland Clinic at the 30th Annual Meeting for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).