Assessment of medication discontinuation in hypertensive and diabetic patients after bariatric and metabolic surgery

Introduction: Epidemiological studies show a significant acceleration in the prevalence of obesity in Brazil and worldwide, making it a public health issue, primarily due to the increased risk of diseases such as systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The first-line treatment for obesity is lifestyle modifications and pharmacological measures. However, while these measures initially bring significant improvements, they struggle with long-term weight loss maintenance and control of comorbidities, making bariatric and metabolic surgery the better option in these cases. Bariatric surgery is performed on patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 35 with comorbidities or ≥ 40. Metabolic surgery is indicated for individuals with a BMI between 30 and 34.9 with difficult-to-control diabetes. There are various techniques described for obesity surgery, but the most commonly performed worldwide and in Brazil are Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (sleeve). Objective: To assess the remission of medication use for treating systemic arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients who underwent bariatric and metabolic surgery at the Hospital Regional da Asa Norte. Methodology: Observational, retrospective, cross-sectional study conducted through data collection from pre- and post-operative records of patients who underwent bariatric and metabolic surgery at the Hospital Regional da Asa Norte between 2019 and 2022, with a prior diagnosis of SAH and T2DM. After data collection, patients were classified as: total remission, partial reduction, or no reduction in medication use. Results: Regarding the use of antihypertensive drugs, there was total remission in 56.25% of individuals, partial reduction in 15.63%, and no reduction in 28.12%. For the use of medications for T2DM treatment, total remission occurred in 70% of participants, partial reduction in 25%, and no reduction in 5%. Conclusion: Significant remission in medication use for both SAH and T2DM was identified in patients undergoing bariatric and metabolic surgery at the Hospital Regional da Asa Norte.