Overweight patients less likely to die in hospital after heart operations

Study sees 25% reduction in death for overweight instead of healthy weight patients, contradicting weight loss advice

Patients who are overweight or obese are less likely to die in hospital after a heart operation than those who are a healthy weight, a study has found.

The results of the British Heart Foundation (BHF)-funded research suggest it is wrong to deny people surgery because they are overweight and that underweight patients could benefit from gaining weight prior to a heart operation.