When to Consider a Gastric Sleeve to Manage Hypertension

OakBend Medical Group Blog When to Consider a Gastric Sleeve to Manage Hypertension
When to Consider a Gastric Sleeve to Manage Hypertension

Your weight plays a role in all aspects of your health and can be a contributing factor to many chronic health conditions, including hypertension (high blood pressure).

At OakBend Medical Group, we specialize in bariatric surgeries like gastric sleeve to help you lose weight quickly and safely. Our surgeons, Geena Lubrano, MD, Christopher Reilly, MD, FACS, and Steven M. Thomas, MD, FACS, can determine if you’re a candidate for weight loss surgery to better control your hypertension and lower your risk for stroke and other complications.

An overview of hypertension

Your blood pressure is a measurement of the force of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels. When you have hypertension, it means the pressure is too high and can potentially cause damage to the vessels.

Besides obesity, there are other factors that can cause hypertension, including:

You might also be at a higher risk for hypertension if you have a family history of high blood pressure.

Without treatment, hypertension can damage your arteries, kidneys, brain, and heart. In severe cases, hypertension can also lead to premature death.

How your weight contributes to hypertension

Being overweight or obese affects your blood pressure because it alters your body’s hormone levels. Hormones control many functions of your body, including the flow of blood to your heart.

When your hormones are out of balance, your heart can pump too much blood, which leads to increased pressure in your arteries. The more weight you gain, the less control your hormones have over your blood pressure levels.

Adding in stress, smoking, and other factors can significantly increase the likelihood you’ll experience severe side effects of hypertension without proper management.

If you’re overweight and have difficulties controlling your blood pressure, it may be time to consider a gastric sleeve or other bariatric surgery.

How a gastric sleeve works

Gastric sleeve surgery involves the removal of about nine-tenths of your stomach. Our surgeons then form a small sleeve from the portion of your stomach that remains. The resulting sleeve is banana shaped. After surgery, your smaller stomach size limits how much you can eat, so you can successfully lose weight. You’ll also feel fuller after eating much smaller portions of food.

Gastric sleeve surgery also alters your appetite. The hormones that stimulate your appetite are in the section of your stomach our surgeons remove. Without these hormones, you’re less likely to overeat, so you can shed extra pounds with ease.

As you lose weight following your gastric sleeve surgery and your hormones become more balanced, your blood pressure levels also start to decrease. Additionally, the new dietary habits required after gastric sleeve surgery can also help lower your blood pressure.

Weight loss after gastric sleeve surgery offers even more health benefits. You can expect to enjoy more energy, less pain, and a much higher quality of life. Some people may also be able to reduce their reliance on blood pressure medications when they achieve their weight loss goals.

Call OakBend Medical Group in Richmond, Texas, to find out if you’re a candidate for gastric sleeve surgery or book an appointment online today. 

 

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