Benefits of Bariatric Surgery for Hypertension 

You have hypertension, or high blood pressure when the pressure in your arteries is too high for a long time. Your heart is like a pump pushing blood through hoses (your arteries). Imagine your heart has to consistently push too hard. It can cause problems. 

The blood pressure is measured with two numbers: systolic (when your heart beats) and diastolic (when your heart rests). 

If your blood pressure is 130/80 mm Hg or higher, you might have hypertension.

How Obesity Affects Blood Pressure

Research shows that being very overweight, or obese, is a major cause of high blood pressure, or hypertension. 

In fact, up to 75% of people with high blood pressure are also obese. 

Obesity and blood pressure affect each other: being obese can lead to high blood pressure, and having high blood pressure can make people gain weight. This creates a cycle that makes it harder to treat and manage both conditions.

Let’s understand how obesity, or being very overweight, can lead to hypertension

Here are 5 factors that affect the blood pressure.

1. Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS): This system helps control blood pressure and fluid balance. Extra fat can make this system work too much. When it’s overactive, it raises blood pressure by holding onto sodium and making blood vessels tighter.
2. Sympathetic Nervous System: Extra belly fat can make this part of your body work harder, speeding up your heart and raising blood pressure.
3. Hormones: Obesity messes with hormones, causing insulin problems and inflammation, which can damage blood vessels and increase blood pressure.
4. Kidney Pressure: Extra weight puts pressure on your kidneys, making them less effective at controlling blood pressure.
5. Endothelial Dysfunction: Obesity can inflame your blood vessels, making them less flexible, which raises blood pressure.

Blood pressure is one of the most common issues in India and people live with it and accept it as part of their normal life.

However, when someone is obese and has a BMI of 35 kg/m² or more, the situation may get worse.

Complications of High Blood Pressure

Let’s understand why it is critical to manage hypertension if you are also obese.

Heart Disease: Over time, high blood pressure can damage your arteries, leading to reduced blood flow. This can lead to serious heart problems, like heart attacks and heart failure. 

Stroke: There is a risk of stroke because of blocking or bursting blood vessels in the brain, which can cause brain damage.

Kidney Damage: High blood pressure can harm the small blood vessels in your kidneys, leading to kidney disease or failure.

Vision Problems: It can damage the blood vessels in your eyes, which might lead to vision problems or even loss of sight.

Cognitive Decline: When the brain receives less blood flow than needed, it can cause memory problems and increase the risk of dementia.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): Arteries in your legs may become narrow, making walking painful.

Hypertensive Crisis: Extremely high blood pressure (180/120 mm Hg or more) can cause an emergency that needs immediate treatment.

At the Laparo-Obeso Centre in Pune, India, Dr Shahsank Shah has operated on thousands of patients who were obese and had hypertension.

When Bariatric Surgery Might Help

Dr Shashank Shah recommends bariatric surgery as a great option for people with severe obesity and high blood pressure. 

Here are the situations in which you may consider bariatric surgery:

Uncontrolled Hypertension: You are taking several medications, but your blood pressure is still high 

Resistant Hypertension: If you consistently need three or more medicines to control your blood pressure.

Obesity Levels: If you have a BMI between 30 and 39.9 kg/m² and high blood pressure, and exercise and diet aren’t working for you.

This means if you are obese and fighting with high blood pressure and even multiple medications are not getting things in control, you should consider bariatric surgery.

What Are the Benefits of Bariatric Surgery for Hypertension 

Possible Remission: Many people see their high blood pressure go away after surgery. About 60-70% of patients have their blood pressure controlled within the first year.

Less Medication: About 83.7% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery reduced their blood pressure medications, compared to only 12.8% who used just medicine.

Long-Term Results: The rates of getting rid of high blood pressure can be as high as 50% within a year, and 31.9% after around 6.5 years.

How Surgery Helps Lower Blood Pressure

Weight Loss: Losing a lot of weight can lower blood pressure.

Better Insulin Sensitivity: Improved insulin use can help manage blood pressure.

Less Inflammation: Surgery can reduce inflammation in the body, which is linked to high blood pressure.

Hormonal Changes: Surgery increases hormones that help get rid of sodium, which can lower blood pressure.

Kidney Function: Less fat around the kidneys means less pressure on them, improving blood pressure control.

What Are The Changes You Feel After Treating Hypertension

Here’s what we have observed about our patients once they manage or cure high blood pressure.

Physical Changes:

More Energy: Your organs and tissues get better oxygen and nutrition with better blood flow.  You feel more energetic and less tired.

Better Sleep: Your sleep may improve, as high blood pressure often disrupts sleep.

Fewer Symptoms: Headaches, dizziness, or nosebleeds might go away, making you feel better overall.

Weight Loss: Imagine 60 to 80% of extra weight is shredded from your body – you feel lighter, more energetic and 

Easier Physical Activity: With better blood pressure, physical activities may become easier and more enjoyable.

And it doesn’t stop at the physical changes.

Emotional and Psychological Changes Of Managing or Curing Hypertension:

Increased Confidence: You feel more in control of your health.

Less Anxiety: You feel more relaxed rather than being anxious most of the time.

Improved Mood: Since you feel better physically it often leads to a better mood and outlook on life.

Sense of Accomplishment: Successfully managing or curing hypertension can make you feel proud and motivated to keep up with healthy habits.

Understanding how hypertension works, and how obesity affects it, can help in managing and preventing serious health issues. 

Whether through lifestyle changes or medical interventions, taking steps to control blood pressure can lead to a healthier and happier life.

If you are struggling with obesity and hypertension, consulting with Dr. Shashank Shah could be the first step towards better health.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common health issue these days. It affects 6-10% of women of childbearing age. Women with PCOS have issues with irregular periods, hormonal imbalances, and metabolic problems. And what’s one of the major factors that’s linked to PCOS?

Obesity.

According to studies, over 80% of women with PCOS are overweight or obesity. So this directly indicates that excess weight affects the body in ways and is not just linked to type 2 diabetes, heart problems, sleep apnea and more.

Let’s understand how obesity leads to PCOS.

However, the relationship between obesity and PCOS is not simple. But the fact is, both conditions can make each other worse.

How Obesity and PCOS Make Each Other Worse

Obesity alone doesn’t cause PCOS. But it can make it worse in women who are more likely to get it because of genetic tendencies or other reasons.

Insulin Resistance

Extra weight, especially around the belly, makes their body less sensitive to insulin. 

Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. When the body doesn’t respond well to insulin, the pancreas makes even more insulin to keep blood sugar normal. 

When there is too much insulin in the body, it stimulates the ovaries to make more male hormones, which can cause or worsen PCOS.

High Androgen Levels

Excess weight or obesity leads to the release of male hormones androgens. While these high male hormone levels alone don’t cause PCOS, they can make it worse. 

This can mess up the ovaries, causing problems like irregular periods and not ovulating, which are common in PCOS.

Genetic Link

Some women are susceptible to PCOS because of their genetic tendencies. In such cases, gaining weight, especially during their teen years, can make PCOS show up. Extra weight can make the signs of PCOS more noticeable.

Metabolic Problems

When obesity and PCOS happen together, they can lead to other health problems, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These problems can make PCOS symptoms worse.

The Impact of Obesity on Fertility

Obesity is one of the major risk factors for infertility. Women with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) are more likely to have problems with ovulation. 

With obesity, a woman’s body makes more fat tissue. Fat tissue produces extra estrogen. It’s a hormone that helps control the menstrual cycle. Too much estrogen can confuse the body and cause it to stop ovulating. That means the ovaries don’t release eggs regularly. 

This is called anovulatory infertility. 

In women with PCOS, being overweight lowers the chances of getting pregnant naturally and also reduces the success rates of fertility treatments like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

Higher body fat can affect the quality of eggs and the lining of the uterus, making it harder for a fertilized egg to implant and grow.

How Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery Can Help with PCOS

Metabolic and weight loss surgery is a highly effective procedure in managing PCOS, especially for women who have been struggling with obesity. 

In many cases, women are stuck in a vicious cycle and cannot exercise and diet because of their health conditions.

And this further worsens their weight problem. And if you are already suffering, or at a high risk of other serious conditions like type 2 diabetes, or heart problems, then metabolic and weight loss surgery is an effective solution.

Dr. Shashank Shah is one of the best  metabolic and weight loss surgeons and has helped many women improve their health and fertility. 

Here’s how metabolic surgery can make a difference:

Improving Insulin Sensitivity: One of the key benefits of metabolic surgery is that it helps the body use insulin more effectively. 

After surgery, insulin levels drop, which in turn reduces the production of male hormones. This is crucial for restoring ovulation and helping women with PCOS regain regular menstrual cycles.

Normalizing Hormone Levels: Metabolic surgery helps reduce excess weight, which leads to a more balanced hormone profile. When hormone levels are balanced, women with PCOS are more likely to experience regular periods and ovulation, making it easier to conceive.

Improving Egg and Embryo Quality: Excess weight can negatively affect the quality of eggs and embryos, making it harder for a woman to get pregnant. Research indicates that even losing about 5 kg (11 lbs) can lead to better outcomes in terms of implantation rates, clinical pregnancies, and live births among women with PCOS.

Boosting Fertility Treatment Success: Obesity can reduce the effectiveness of fertility treatments like ovulation induction and IVF. Studies have shown that losing around 10% of body weight can improve pregnancy and live birth rates in overweight women seeking fertility help. Even small reductions in weight can help restore normal ovulation and menstrual cycles.

Real-Life Success Stories with Dr. Shashank Shah

Many women with PCOS have successfully managed their symptoms and improved their fertility outcomes through weight loss surgery under the care of Dr. Shashank Shah. 

His expertise in metabolic surgery has helped numerous patients achieve significant weight loss, restore regular periods, and increase their chances of having a baby.  For example, women who have undergone weight loss surgery have reported more regular menstrual cycles, improved insulin levels, and higher success rates with fertility treatments.

Why Consult Dr. Shashank Shah for Weight Loss Surgery?

Dr. Shashank Shah is a highly respected surgeon specializing in metabolic and weight loss surgery. 

He understands the unique challenges faced by women with PCOS and offers personalized treatment plans to help them achieve their health and fertility goals. 

His approach is not just about surgery but also about providing comprehensive care, including dietary guidance, exercise plans, and ongoing support. Long-Term Health Benefits

Metabolic surgery does more than just help with weight loss. It also provides long-term health benefits by reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other metabolic disorders. 

For women with PCOS, these benefits are particularly important because they help manage the condition more effectively and reduce the risk of long-term health complications.

If you are struggling with PCOS and obesity, consulting with Dr. Shashank Shah could be the first step towards better health and a successful pregnancy.