Women Are More Likely to Die After Coronary Bypass Surgery Than Men

A large study conducted by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center has found that women are at a 30-40% higher risk of dying after undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery than men. The study analyzed nearly 1.3 million bypass surgeries carried out in the United States between 2011 and 2020. The analysis revealed that female patients had a 2.8% rate of death during or shortly after surgery, compared to 1.7% for male patients. Even after accounting for age and other health factors, women still faced a significantly higher risk of death or major complications than men.

Gender Disparities in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Outcomes

The findings have raised concerns about why women continue to have worse outcomes than men after undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, despite advancements in surgical techniques and overall care. Female bypass surgery patients, on average, are older and more likely to have chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. However, even after considering these factors, women still appear to have worse outcomes.

Importance of Identifying Causes and Solutions for Gender Differences in Heart Surgery Outcomes

Study lead investigator Dr. Mario Gaudino, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Professor in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine, expressed concern about the trend and urged cardiothoracic surgeons to take note of the findings. He also stressed the need for further data on the physiology of coronary artery disease in women, their responses to treatments and surgical techniques, and whether the use of multiple coronary artery bypasses during surgery improves outcomes. The study's findings emphasize the importance of determining the underlying reasons behind the gender disparities observed in mortality rates following coronary artery bypass surgery. It is a common procedure, with around 370,000 surgeries performed in the U.S. each year. Therefore, identifying the causes and potential solutions for gender differences will be vital to improving surgical outcomes and reducing the risk of death or major complications for female patients.

Source-Medindia