Medication Use Before and After Different Bariatric Surgery Procedures: Results from a Population-Based Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Bariatric Surgery
• Metabolic Health
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Metabolic and bariatric surgery is known to improve obesity-related comorbidities.
• The impact of different surgical interventions on chronic medication use requires further evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effect of various metabolic and bariatric surgery procedures on medication use for chronic conditions.
• To compare the efficacy of different surgical approaches in reducing medication requirements.

Main Methods:

• Observational, population-based cohort study in Lombardy, Italy (2010-2020).
• Included patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), gastric bypass (GB), laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), and biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with at least three years of follow-up.
• Utilized healthcare utilization databases to track medication use.

Main Results:

• 19,450 patients underwent metabolic and bariatric surgery; LSG was most common (65%).
• Significant reductions in glucose-lowering, antihypertensive, and lipid-lowering drug use were observed across all procedures at 3 years.
• Gastric bypass demonstrated a greater reduction in glucose-lowering drug use compared to LSG (65% vs. 59%).

Conclusions:

• Metabolic and bariatric surgery leads to substantial reductions in medication for diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia at three years.
• These findings suggest significant improvements in quality of life and potential healthcare cost savings.
• Procedure type influences the degree of medication reduction, particularly for glucose-lowering drugs.