Gastric Sleeve Surgery and Hypertension

OakBend Medical Group Blog Gastric Sleeve Surgery and Hypertension

If you’re one of the 108 million people in the United States who has hypertension, it might be related to your weight. If you’re overweight or obese and can’t effectively control your blood pressure, now might be the time to consider weight loss surgery.

OakBend Medical Group offers comprehensive weight loss surgery services under the direction of experienced bariatric surgeons Christopher Reilly, MD, FACS, Steven M. Thomas, MD, FACS, and Genna Lubrano, MD. Our team can determine if you’re a candidate for a gastric sleeve or other weight loss surgery to help you stay in control of your blood pressure.

Why you might have hypertension

A body mass index (BMI) above 30 is an indication of obesity. Being overweight or obese puts you at risk for a variety of chronic health conditions, including hypertension.

This is because extra weight puts a strain on your body. Your heart must work harder to pump blood throughout your body. Your arteries can also get stressed, which leads to a rise in your blood pressure.

You might also have high blood pressure because of:

Being obese and having hypertension further increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and other chronic conditions.

How gastric sleeve surgery can improve your blood pressure

Any amount of weight loss can improve a variety of chronic health conditions, including hypertension. Gastric sleeve surgery offers further benefits because after surgery, you can expect to lose weight rapidly, which reduces pressure on your arteries and your heart.

Gastric sleeve is a surgical procedure that involves removing nine-tenths of your stomach. With the remaining portion, your surgeon creates a small pouch the size of a banana. This reduction in the size of your stomach limits how much you can eat. You also feel fuller sooner after eating.

Another benefit of a gastric sleeve is the effect the surgery has on your appetite. The part of your stomach removed during surgery plays a role in producing appetite-stimulating hormones. Without these hormones, you’re less likely to overeat and can enjoy faster, more efficient weight loss.

A commitment to change

Prior to getting a gastric sleeve or any type of gastric bypass, you must be willing to commit to a lifestyle overhaul. After your surgery, you will need to stay dedicated to eating a healthy diet, getting daily exercise, and making other changes that support healthy weight loss.

You also need to ensure your blood pressure is under control with recommended medications. In some cases, people with hypertension who lose a significant amount of weight are eventually able to come off their blood pressure medications by maintaining a healthy body mass index and lifestyle.

While a gastric sleeve isn’t right for everyone, it may be worth considering if you’re obese and having a difficult time losing weight on your own. Our bariatric surgeons offer comprehensive health evaluations to determine if you’re a candidate for gastric sleeve surgery or if other bariatric surgeries, like gastric bypass or gastric balloon surgery, is a better option.

Schedule a consultation by calling OakBend Medical Group or by booking an appointment online today. 

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