Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock/Leonardo da

Obese people less likely to die after heart operations compared to those of healthy weight

A study carried out over 11 years found patients with a healthy weight were almost twice as likely to die in hospital compared to people who were obese or overweight.

PATIENTS WHO ARE overweight or obese are less likely to die in hospital after a heart operation compared to people who are a healthy weight.

That’s according to a University of Leicester study based on research carried out on 401,227 adults in Ireland and the UK who underwent heart surgery between 2002 and 2013.

The research, which was funded by the British Heart Foundation, found underweight patients could actually benefit from gaining weight before a heart operation.

Experts found that healthy people were almost twice as likely to die compared to people who were obese or overweight. Those who were underweight had the highest risk of death.

Of the 400,000 people who took part in the study, 11,511 patients died in hospital – 8.5% of the people who died were underweight, 4.4% were normal weight but just 2.8% were overweight and 2.7% were obese.

Obesity is often a reason given for not offering surgery to patients but this study found that being overweight was not a problem and could actually offer protection to the patient.

The study’s author Gavin Murphy said the study showed that being obese should not be a reason that cardiac patients are turned away from surgery.

The study, which was published in the journal Circulation, also found overweight patients had greater protection regardless of their age or even if they had experienced complications associated with obesity such as diabetes or coronary artery disease.

BHF’s associate medical director, Professor Jeremy Pearson, told The Guardian, “We always recommend a healthy waistline, which significantly reduces lifetime risk of heart disease and therefore a person’s risk of needing cardiac surgery.

“However, this large study strongly suggests that being overweight can give patients added protection when facing major heart surgery, reducing their chance of complications or death before leaving hospital.”

Read: Discovery from Irish researchers could pave way for new treatments for oesophageal cancer>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
24 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shit you not
    Favourite Shit you not
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 4:40 PM

    It’s very simple, it’s search engine is annoying, spammy, over crowded with crap, ads and games. It’s a mess.
    Why is google successful? Let’s see….google….search….and about 6 search options..
    Simple and functional. I wonder does anyone at yahoo ever type in http://www.google.com and see how it’s done?

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute 1 Human Being
    Favourite 1 Human Being
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 5:13 PM

    Should have taken that Microsoft deal 5 years ago. Have started to use http://www.duckduckgo.com as my main search engine better privacy and results. Google needs competition otherwise they will absorb the Internet.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Hughes
    Favourite Martin Hughes
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 5:51 PM

    I remember that. They were fools for not selling to Microsoft then, cant remember how much but think MS offered them 30 or 40 billion dollars

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute jimbo
    Favourite jimbo
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 5:56 PM

    Does anybody actually use yahoo

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter
    Favourite Peter
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 10:54 PM

    For email and occasional news

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mike Scott
    Favourite Mike Scott
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 4:36 PM

    I’m not logging on to this site anymore! One bad news item after another! If a huge Internet search engine like yahoo has to make people redundant, then there’s no hope for anyone! Adios forever!!!!

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute vv7k7Z3c
    Favourite vv7k7Z3c
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 4:42 PM

    Mike, don’t blame us for the jobs losses! It’s better to report the stories and let people know what’s happening rather than hiding it away or pretending it isn’t happening imho. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for good news stories or lighter pieces you could try any of these:

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fagan's
    Favourite Fagan's
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 5:00 PM

    It’s more to do with Yahoo having a truly atrocious model. There has been very little innovation in the last 10 years. Yahoo will let people go, they’ll be snapped up by the other companies here, they’ll go in to start up’s, they team together and start their own Internet ventures.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Adam Magari
    Favourite Adam Magari
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 5:44 PM

    Too many advertisements.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anne Gillespie
    Favourite Anne Gillespie
    Report
    Apr 4th 2012, 5:06 PM

    it all boils down to more profit for YAHOO,and to hell with the workers

    5
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds