In the United States, coronary heart disease accounts for one third of all deaths in people older than 35 years.1 Obesity is a known risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater.2 In 2022, 22 states had at least 35% of adults with obesity.2
Bariatric surgery improves cardiovascular disease risk factors.3 A study done at the Cleveland clinic found that surgical weight loss reduces the risk of developing coronary heart disease.1 In the study, patients who underwent bariatric surgery from 2010 to 2016 were reviewed. Patients ages 30 to 74 without a history of coronary heart disease were included. The risk score for predicting the incidence of coronary heart disease was measured preoperatively and 12 months after surgery.
A total of 1,330 patients were studied and 225 patients had the necessary variables to calculate the coronary heart disease score. The requisite data for analyzing the coronary heart disease risk score included age, sex, presence or absence of Type II diabetes, LDL cholesterol categories, and blood pressure categories. They found that after 12-month follow-up the coronary heart disease relative risk reduction was 42% for female patients and 38.8% for male patients. The study also found that both laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and similar results with reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality. Treating obesity has the potential to decrease the burden of coronary heart disease.
In addition to weight management there are other ways to improve heart health.
- Exercise: Exercise makes the heart stronger. It is important to exercise regularly. Try to develop a consistent exercise routine. Aim to get 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 5 days a week. A brisk walk or jogging is moderate intensity. Aside from dedicated exercise it is important to move throughout the day. i.e. take the stairs whenever possible instead of the elevator
- Stay tobacco free: smoking is a risk factor for heart disease. Smoking causes one of every four deaths from cardiovascular disease. Being exposed to second-hand smoke also increases risk of heart disease.4
- Reduce stress: Feeling overwhelmed and stressed on an ongoing basis can increase your risk of heart disease. Take some time to meditate to reduce stress. Deep breathing, journaling, or finding a support system can also be beneficial. Exercise also helps with reducing stress. Feeling stressed can increase cortisol levels with a resultant increase in blood pressure which can be harmful.
References
- Gutierrez-Blanco D, Romero-Funes D, Frieder JS, Lo Menzo E, Szomstein S, Rosenthal RJ. Can surgical weight loss reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease? Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 16 (2020) 1291-1296.
- https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html
- Heneghan HM, Meron-Eldar S, Brethauer SA, Schauer PR, Young JB. Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Cardiovascular Risk Profile. The American Journal of Cardiology volume 108, Issue 10, 15 November 2011, Pages 1499-1507.
- https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/patient-care/care-settings/cardiovascular/index.htm#:~:text=Cigarette%20smoking%20is%20a%20major,infarction%20and%20sudden%20cardiac%20death