Medication Use for Obesity-Related Comorbidities After Sleeve Gastrectomy or Gastric Bypass

Sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass are the most common bariatric surgical procedures in the world; however, their long-term medication discontinuation and comorbidity resolution remain unclear.

To compare the incidence of medication discontinuation and restart of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia medications up to 5 years after sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass.

This comparative effectiveness research study of adult Medicare beneficiaries who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass between January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2018, and had a claim for diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia medication in the 6 months before surgery with a corresponding diagnosis used instrumental-variable survival analysis to estimate the cumulative incidence of medication discontinuation and restart. Data analyses were performed from February to June 2021.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

The primary outcome was discontinuation of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia medication for any reason. Among patients who discontinued medication, the adjusted cumulative incidence of restarting medication was calculated up to 5 years after discontinuation.

Of the 95 405 patients included, 71 348 (74.8%) were women and the mean (SD) age was 56.6 (11.8) years. Gastric bypass compared with sleeve gastrectomy was associated with a slightly higher 5-year cumulative incidence of medication discontinuation among 30 588 patients with diabetes medication use and diagnosis at the time of surgery (74.7% [95% CI, 74.6%-74.9%] vs 72.0% [95% CI, 71.8%-72.2%]), 52 081 patients with antihypertensive medication use and diagnosis at the time of surgery (53.3% [95% CI, 53.2%-53.4%] vs 49.4% [95% CI, 49.3%-49.5%]), and 35 055 patients with lipid-lowering medication use and diagnosis at the time of surgery (64.6% [95% CI, 64.5%-64.8%] vs 61.2% [95% CI, 61.1%-61.3%]). Among the subset of patients who discontinued medication, gastric bypass was also associated with a slightly lower incidence of medication restart up to 5 years after discontinuation. Specifically, the 5-year cumulative incidence of medication restart was lower after gastric bypass compared with sleeve gastrectomy among 19 599 patients who discontinued their diabetes medication after surgery (30.4% [95% CI, 30.2%-30.5%] vs 35.6% [95% CI, 35.4%-35.9%]), 21 611 patients who discontinued their antihypertensive medication after surgery (67.2% [95% CI, 66.9%-67.4%] vs 70.6% [95% CI, 70.3%-70.9%]), and 18 546 patients who discontinued their lipid-lowering medication after surgery (46.2% [95% CI, 46.2%-46.3%] vs 52.5% [95% CI, 52.2%-52.7%]).

Findings of this study suggest that, compared with sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass was associated with a slightly higher incidence of medication discontinuation and a slightly lower incidence of medication restart among patients who discontinued medication. Long-term trials are needed to explain the mechanisms and factors associated with differences in medication discontinuation and comorbidity resolution after bariatric surgery.