BOSTON, Oct. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Could bariatric surgery become the standard care for Type 2 diabetes in severely obese patients? Dr. Francesco Rubino, director of the Diabetes Surgery Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center, believes there is much evidence in favor of this idea, and he will discuss this evidence during his Cardiometabolic Health Congress keynote address from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, titled "Are We Ready for Bariatric Surgery as the Treatment of Choice for T2DM?"

Dr. Rubino's recent New England Journal of Medicine study, reported on by CBS News and other news outlets, suggests that bariatric surgery can reverse Type 2 diabetes in morbidly obese patients. In his provocative talk, Dr. Rubino will discuss his own clinical data as well as other high-profile studies on the topic.

As always at the CMHC, the keynote address focuses on the practical and clinical implications of the information presented. Clinical issues that Dr. Rubino will cover in his presentation include the various available bariatric surgical approaches, what is known about the metabolic effects of each, and how to identify obese patients with Type 2 diabetes who would be good candidates for bariatric surgery. He will also discuss some of the prevailing barriers to surgical treatment for Type 2 diabetes, including cultural barriers and lack of insurance coverage.

"I'm really anticipating Francesco's presentation," said CMHC co-chair Robert Eckel, MD. "The bariatric approach to diabetes management is an option these days for us, but is this research or clinical care? How should patients be selected? Can we afford it? So many questions, and Dr. Rubino is in a great position to address them."

The 7th Annual CMHC, featuring 64 world-renowned expert faculty, 15 scientific sessions, 16 corporate-supported and corporate-sponsored symposia, and approximately 30 CME credit hours, will convene Oct. 10–13, 2012, in Boston. The event is co-chaired by George L. Bakris, MD; Christie M. Ballantyne, MD; Robert H. Eckel, MD; and Jay S. Skyler, MD, MACP. The CMHC provides the most advanced-level cardiometabolic education encompassing a multitude of risk factors, including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, thrombosis, acute coronary syndrome, chronic kidney disease and related comorbidities.

For more information, contact Brittany Henry at info@cardiometabolichealth.org or 877-571-4700 or visit www.cardiometabolichealth.org.

SOURCE Cardiometabolic Health Congress