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In the United States, over 100 million adults, or about 40% of the adult population, are obese, and the prevalence of obesity has been steadily rising over decades. Obesity is a chronic condition that increases the risk of other chronic and life-threatening conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. Obese people may also have a higher rate of weight stigma, stereotypes, abuse, and social devaluation related to weight.
Bariatric surgery can be an option for obese people. Bariatric surgery can result in significant weight loss and improvement, prevention or resolution of many related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea and certain cancers. Bariatric surgery has also been shown to result in a significant reduction in clinical morbidity, such as cardiovascular events, which could reduce the risk of long-term mortality in obese individuals by up to 40%. Over the past decade, approximately 2 million people living in the US have undergone two most common types of bariatric surgery, including sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass for Luen Y, with over 200,000 new procedures being carried out each year.
In addition to the established clinical benefits of bariatric surgery, the general safety of bariatric surgery is also well established, with complication rates in line with common surgical procedures such as minimally invasive gallbladder removal. However, in a rare subset of people, a potentially debilitating condition called post-biblative hypoglycemia may exist in the years following bariatric surgery.
Understanding hypoglycemia after barrier trick
Post-barrier-trigger hypoglycemia, or PBH, is a condition that can occur more than a year after undergoing bariatric surgery. The exact cause of PBH is not fully understood, but excessive GLP-1 responses to diet are thought to play a major role. GLP-1 levels lead to excessive insulin secretion, and this high level of insulin causes blood glucose levels to drop too much, causing a condition called hypoglycemia.
PBH can cause persistent, recurrent, and debilitating hypoglycemic events in some individuals. Several symptoms such as sweating, trembling, and motion pit are caused by the body trying to raise blood sugar levels. Other symptoms occur due to insufficient blood sugar supply to the brain. This deprivation can manifest as cognitive impairment, loss of consciousness, seizures, and other symptoms that can cause major disruptions in independent life.
Cases of repeated hypoglycemia can lead to recognition of hypoglycemia. This is a condition in which the body does not produce the typical early signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. Failure to recognize hypoglycemia increases the risk of serious events, further reducing safety, and may require the support of others.
Addresses conditions that require high unmet needs
It is estimated that PBH affects roughly 8%, or 160,000, of the 2 million people in the US who had two most common bariatric surgery in the past decade.
Currently, there are no approved treatments for PBH, but the scientific community is moving forward with research advances. Amylyx, a clinical stage pharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focuses on developing potential new therapies for communities with high unmet needs, including individuals with PBH.
“We feel an unwavering responsibility for communities with high unmet needs, and taking on such responsibility is at the heart of our work. Our research is guided by emerging science and inspired by the understanding that people living in situations like PBH are suspected or ignored and live in search of answers for too long,” says Amylyx Chief Medical Officer Camille L. Bedrosian (MEDROSIAN), an expert with nearly 30 years of experience addressing unmet medical needs for people with rare conditions and those with serious conditions who have successfully made clinical research programs.
For those who live with PBH, each day can feel like a battle against lasting, recurrent, debilitating hypoglycemia events that have a major impact on the quality of life, with many not able to drive, work, live alone or care for dependents. Fortunately, scientific understanding of PBH, like potential treatments in clinical trials, gives hope to those living with PBH and their families.
