Bariatric surgery ‘can prevent heart attack and stroke in diabetes patients’

A new study has indicated that bariatric surgery procedures can help diabetes patients to reduce their associated risk of cardiovascular problems.

Scientists from the Institute of Medicine in Goteborg, Sweden were able to establish this link following analysis of data from more than 4,000 patients collated over 20 years, making it the longest study of its kind.

It was found that the incidence of new cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks or strokes, was 30 percent lower in bariatric surgery patients than those who had received more conservative treatments.

Dr Lars Sjostrom, a professor at the institute, said: "Type 2 diabetes has always been considered a chronic, lifelong disease, but the long-term data shows remission in 70 percent of patients after two years of follow-up."

He added that the surgical procedure was also shown to help greatly reduce the chance of developing diabetes among obesity patients who did not have the condition at the beginning of the survey.

Earlier this week, scientists from California State Polytechnic University published a study showing a link between nicotine intake and diabetes complications such as heart attacks and strokes.