Among patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity, bariatric surgery is associated with a significant reduction in the rate of subsequent major cardiovascular events, researchers say.

The US study found the patients who had weight loss surgery were about 39% less likely to experience events including unstable angina, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease or death from any cause over median follow-up of 3.9 years.

The patients also benefitted from better diabetes control and a reduction in the need for medication.

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, compared nearly 2300 adults with type 2 diabetes who underwent gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, adjustable gastric banding, or duodenal switch, with 11,400 similar patients who did not have surgery.