A study has revealed alarming racial disparities in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) outcomes.
According to the research, Black patients undergoing CABG surgery are 22% more likely to die in the hospital than white patients. Despite advances in cardiovascular medicine, the study underscores that these improvements are not benefitting all racial groups equally.
Lead author Dr Vinicius Moreira, chief anaesthesiology resident at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Centre in Chicago, emphasised the urgency of addressing these inequalities.
‘Our large study shows that disparities in cardiovascular health care delivery in the US are ongoing, especially in Black patients,’ he said.
The findings highlight that Black patients not only experience higher mortality rates but also face increased risks of severe postoperative complications, including cardiac arrest.
Researchers analysed data from over one million patients who underwent CABG surgery between 2016 and 2021.
Of these, 75.58% were white, 6.75% were Black, and 7.44% were Hispanic. On average, Black patients were significantly younger than white patients (63 years vs. 77 years) and more likely to suffer from heart failure.
The study, presented at the Anaesthesiology 2024 annual meeting, showed that Black patients stayed longer in the hospital and incurred higher medical costs compared to their white counterparts.
The findings suggest that Black patients have less access to lifesaving cardiovascular advancements, such as minimally invasive cardiac procedures and mechanical circulatory support devices.
‘Modern policies must focus on improving the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic conditions that disproportionately impact the Black population and other minorities,’ Dr Moreira added.
He noted specific efforts that could reduce this disparity, including:
• Anaesthesiologists, surgeons and others who provide perioperative care should develop preventive measures to reduce the risk of complications for patients at higher risk.
• Preoperative and cardiovascular clinics should rigorously optimise patients’ health conditions before surgery.
• Governments and healthcare systems must improve healthcare access and implement population-wide screening programmes.
• Governments must implement robust policies to tackle the obesity epidemic, which disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic patients.
He is now calling for immediate reforms to reduce these health disparities.
