Davtyan Medical Weight Loss & Wellness Of Los Angeles - And Community Bariatrics Hamilton Of Indianapolis - Encourage Individuals With Obesity To Reduce Health Risks Associated With COVID-19 By Exploring Surgical Intervention As An Option

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• USA - English

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently stated that obesity, defined as a BMI of 30 or above, increases a person's risk of severe illness from COVID-19.ⁱ This patient population represents roughly one-third of the U.S. adult population. That's why Davtyan Medical Weight Loss & Wellness of Los Angeles and Community Bariatrics Hamilton of Indianapolis are encouraging individuals with obesity to explore options to reduce the health risks associated with COVID-19.

Recent concerning studies have linked the influence of obesity to COVID-19 cases. In fact, there is a higher prevalence of COVID-19 hospitalizations among those with obesity.ⁱⁱ Research also indicates that people with obesity have worse outcomes with COVID-19 infection, including respiratory failure, need for mechanical ventilation, and higher mortality.ⁱⁱⁱ 

"The worldwide novel virus pandemic combined with the global obesity epidemic is a dangerous situation," commented Keith McEwen, M.D., medical director at Community Bariatrics Hamilton, Indianapolis, IN. "Consumers need to have a comprehensive understanding of the link between obesity and the virus. We encourage our patients to take control of their health by taking action now to reduce their risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness. As medical experts warn that a second wave of COVID-19 this fall or winter could be more serious than the first, now is the time for people with obesity to seek surgical options for losing weight."

David Davtyan, M.D., bariatric surgeon at Davtyan Medical Weight Loss & Wellness of Los Angeles said, "We intentionally create personalized programs that include an adjustable and reversible surgery like the Lap-Band® Program, combined with support tools and resources to experience long-term weight loss and improved health."

Although the surgical treatment of obesity and its complications has been postponed in many states during the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) states that metabolic and bariatric surgery should be resumed as it is medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity.^iv

The Lap-Band Adjustable Gastric Banding System, manufactured by ReShape Lifesciences™, is the only FDA-approved, laparoscopic weight-loss device indicated for a BMI of 30 or higher commercially available in the U.S. The procedure has been performed over 1,000,000 times since 1993 worldwide, it's covered by most insurance companies and backed by over 25 years of clinical evidence. Notably, the Lap-Band is proven to be the safest bariatric procedure available on the market,^v backed by 20 years of clinical data demonstrating lower complication rates compared to other surgical procedures. The Lap-Band provided an average of 46% excess weight loss at one year,^vi and if for any reason a Lap-Band needed to be removed, it is easily reversible. In obese and severely obese patients that had less weight to lose (BMI 30-40), percent excess weight loss was significantly higher; ~70%.^vii Both Dr. Davtyan and Dr. McEwen report that in their comprehensive programs they commonly see 60-65% excess weight loss at one year. The procedure is typically performed in less than an hour and can be done at an ambulatory surgery center, with patients typically returning home the same day.

The Lap-Band features an adjustable gastric band that is placed around the upper stomach to help limit food intake and promote a feeling of fullness. With regular adjustments that help a patient to continue losing weight, the Lap-Band is a long-term tool that gives one more power over hunger and more control over weight loss.

Community Bariatrics Hamilton in Indianapolis offers several weight-loss options to improve health and reduce the health risks associated with COVID-19. Dr. McEwen offers the Lap-Band Program and an Intragastric Balloon. He has performed over 2,000 Lap-Band Procedures.

Davtyan Medical Weight Loss & Wellness of Los Angeles offers the Lap-Band Program, gastric balloons and gastric sleeve. Dr. Davtyan has performed over 2,000 Lap-Band Procedures. He personally had a Lap-Band in Belgium in 2001 and did the first outpatient Lap-Band Procedure in California.

People interested in learning more about the connection between obesity and COVID-19 and personal options can contact https://lapbandla.com or https://www.lapbandindiana.com.

ABOUT DAVTYAN MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS & WELLNESS OF LOS ANGELES

Davtyan Medical Weight Loss and Wellness of Los Angeles offers a spectrum of medical endoscopic, surgical, and minimally invasive weight-loss procedures with excellent outcomes. The procedures performed include Lap-Band, gastric balloons, and gastric sleeve. All these procedures are performed by Dr. Davtyan at The Weight Loss Surgery Center of Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, Cedars Sinai Medical Center or Marina Del Rey Hospital.

ABOUT COMMUNITY BARIATRICS HAMILTON OF INDIANAPOLIS

Community Bariatrics Hamilton of Indianapolis specializes in the Lap-Band Procedure and long-term patient management to help patients take control of their obesity, change their lives, and regain their health. They offer non-surgical outpatient procedures such as intragastric balloons as well.

ⁱ  CDC. "People of Any Age with Underlying Medical Conditions." Updated June 25, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fneed-extra-precautions%2Fgroups-at-higher-risk.html 
ⁱⁱ   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7377684/
ⁱⁱⁱ https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(20)30477-8/fulltext
^iv ASMBS. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. "Safer through surgery. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery statement regarding metabolic and bariatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic." https://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(20)30318-X/fulltext 
^v   ASMBS. Bariatric Surgery Procedures. https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery-procedures
^vi O'Brien, Annemarie Hindle, Leah Brennan, Stewart Skinner, Paul Burton, et al. "Long-Term Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Weight Loss at 10 or More Years for All Bariatric Procedures and a Single-Centre Review of 20-Year Outcomes After Adjustable Gastric Banding." Obesity Surgery. The Journal of Metabolic Surgery and Allied Care. Published online: 06 October 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-018-3525-0
^vii JB Dixon, LL Eaton, V Vincent and R Michelson.  "LAP-BAND for BMI 30-40:  5-year Health Outcomes from the Multicenter Pivotal Study." International Journal of Obesity.  Published 15 September 2015.

SOURCE Davtyan Medical Weight Loss & Wellness of Los Angeles; Community Bariatrics Hamilton of Indianapolis