Watch gastric bypass patients for alcohol problems: Research

Abstract

Bariatric surgery patients should be followed for postoperative alcohol problems, who have a greater risk due to the great alcohol absorption in the small intestine after surgery, according to researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Lead investigator Magdalena Ostlund, M.D. wanted to find out if gastric bypass could reduce substance abuse and mental illness in obese patients, who have a higher rate of such disorders. Compared with more than 12,000 controls, the 12,000 bariatric surgery patients whose records she examined had higher rates, presurgery, of alcohol-related diagnoses, as well as psychosis, depression, and attempted suicide. “Patients need to be warned of the risks of alcohol consumption following gastric bypass,” said Ostlund. Gastric bypass is different than banding, which just makes the stomach smaller. She reported her findings at the 2011 Digestive Diseases Week.