Study finds gastric bypass does not cure diabetes
According to a recent study, bypass surgery may help quell the symptoms of diabetes, but does not offer a definitive cure.
According to a recent study, bypass surgery may help quell the symptoms of diabetes, but does not offer a definitive cure.
The research, which took place at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Kaiser Permanente Southern California and HealthPartners, analyzed 4,434 patients from 1995 to 2008 who had type 2 diabetes and were eligible for gastric bypass surgery.
The results found that diabetes disappeared in nearly two-thirds of the patients involved in the study, but a third of them later developed the condition again.
Research author, David E. Arterburn, M.D., M.P.H., noted that diabetes disappeared for a longer period of time in the subjects who showed less severe symptoms or had the condition in its earlier stages.
"Gastric surgery isn't for everyone," Arterburn said. "But this evidence suggests that, once you have diabetes and are severely obese, you should strongly consider it, even though it doesn't seem to be a cure for most patients."
He went on to note that even if diabetes does return, that there are myriad health benefits to gastric bypass surgery, such as less eye and kidney damage and a reduced chance of suffering heart attacks, stroke or death.
Diabetes facts
Diabetes is caused by a deficiency of, or resistance to, a hormone known as insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. There are two main kinds of diabetes - type 1 and type 2. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), type 1 diabetes can be developed at any point in a person's life but its most commonly diagnosed in children, adolescents and young adults.
Type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of the condition, occurs when the body does not properly respond to insulin. Higher rates of type 2 diabetes are starting to occur in younger patients due to rampant obesity among young people. The CDC notes that many people who suffer from ailment do not even know that they have it.
Symptoms and treatment
Some symptoms of diabetes include blurry vision, thirst, fatigue, hunger, frequent urination and weight loss. It can also lead to eye problems, sores and infections on the feet and skin, nerve damage and digestion problems.
There is no cure for diabetes but many patients may take Actos, which is available from Canadian Drug Pharmacy, which helps make the body more sensitive to insulin. The medication is taken in conjunction with a solid exercise regimen and healthy diet.
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