Women Face Higher Mortality Rates After Heart Surgery Due to 'Failure to Rescue' Disparities

A new study led by the University of Michigan reveals that women are more likely than men to die from complications after high-risk cardiovascular surgeries, despite similar rates of complications. The research, published in JAMA Surgery, highlights a significant "failure to rescue" gap between men and women, pointing to an opportunity to improve postoperative care for female patients.

What’s New

Researchers analyzed over 850,000 cases of Medicare beneficiaries who underwent high-risk cardiovascular surgeries between 2015 and 2020. Both men and women experienced complications at a rate of around 15%. However, the mortality rate for women was notably higher, with surgical teams failing to rescue 10.7% of female patients compared to 8.6% of male patients. This trend held true across multiple procedures, including heart bypass, aortic aneurysm repair, and valve repairs. Notably, the quality of the hospital where surgeries took place did not explain the disparity, as women were more likely to be treated at hospitals with higher volumes of high-risk procedures.

Why It Matters

This study underscores the persistent gender disparities in surgical outcomes and raises concerns about the lack of adequate response to postoperative complications in female patients. For years, researchers have attributed worse outcomes for women to older age, smaller anatomical structures, and more comorbidities. However, this new data suggests that these factors alone do not explain the higher mortality rate. The research calls for improved recognition and rapid intervention for complications in female patients to close the gap. Addressing this issue could lead to better survival rates and improved overall care for women undergoing high-risk cardiovascular surgeries.