Surgery or Medical Therapy for Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing epidemics in human history and is closely associated with obesity.1 Furthermore, the disease has multiple manifestations and is associated with progressive beta-cell failure.2 Although lifestyle measures, including weight loss and physical activity, should be first-line treatment, success is difficult to achieve, and pharmaceutical intervention is almost always required. Because of the multiplicity of causal factors involved, it is unrealistic to expect that a patient will achieve excellent glycemic control with any single oral hypoglycemic agent or any combination of agents.3 The progressive nature of type 2 diabetes requires ongoing assessment of . . .