A recent study by researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s Metamor Institute suggests that metabolic surgery could help heart failure patients reduce their need for diuretics, commonly known as “water pills.”
These medications are used to relieve symptoms like high blood pressure and fluid buildup, which are often associated with heart failure.
The study, titled Clinical Outcomes of Metabolic Surgery on Diuretic Use in Patients with Heart Failure and published in The American Journal of Cardiology, analyzed over 2,300 hospital records of patients who had metabolic surgery between 2017 and 2023. Out of these, 63 patients had been diagnosed with heart failure before surgery.
The research team wanted to see if the surgery could help lessen heart failure symptoms, which often worsen due to obesity—a common cause of heart failure.
Dr. Philip Schauer, Director of the Metamor Institute in Baton Rouge, explains, “This study shows that the benefits of metabolic surgery extend beyond weight loss, especially for people with heart disease.”
The study found that, on average, patients who underwent the surgery experienced a 29% weight loss within 24 months.
This weight loss was accompanied by a 65% reduction in the use of diuretics, showing that many patients needed less medication to manage their heart failure symptoms after surgery.
Diuretics work by helping the kidneys remove excess water and salt, making it easier for the heart to pump blood. People with heart failure often take diuretics to manage symptoms like high blood pressure, swelling, and water retention.
By reducing body weight, metabolic surgery may help ease the heart’s workload, leading to fewer symptoms and a reduced need for these medications.
The study’s findings are particularly relevant to South Louisiana, where rates of both heart failure and obesity are high. Dr. Denzil Moraes, Chief Medical Director of the Heart and Vascular Institute at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, explains, “Research like this is essential in helping our patients manage these common, life-impacting diseases and improving their quality of life.”
The researchers used diuretic use as an indicator of heart failure symptom management, noting when patients no longer needed or reduced their use of the medication after surgery.
The team found that metabolic surgery helped many patients improve their heart function to the point where diuretics were no longer necessary, suggesting that the surgery could play an important role in managing heart failure symptoms related to obesity.
Dr. John Kirwan, Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical, emphasizes the significance of these findings, noting that they add to the growing list of benefits associated with metabolic surgery. “This study highlights the effectiveness and safety of metabolic surgery, confirming its role as a valuable intervention for those with obesity-related health issues,” he says.
These promising results pave the way for further research into metabolic surgery as a treatment option for heart failure patients, potentially offering a safer, more sustainable alternative for managing symptoms associated with both obesity and heart failure.
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