Women More Likely to Die After High-Risk Heart Surgery, Research Shows

Michigan – A recent study has found that while men and women experience similar rates of serious complications following high-risk heart surgeries, women have a significantly higher mortality rate than men. The research analyzed over 850,000 cases of Medicare beneficiaries who underwent procedures like heart bypass, aortic aneurysm repair, and mitral and aortic valve repairs between 2015 and 2020.

Led by Dr. Kathryn Wagner from the University of Michigan Health, the study revealed that approximately 15% of both male and female patients experienced postoperative complications. However, the mortality rate for men was 8.6%, while for women, it was notably higher at 10.7%.

The findings raise important questions about gender differences in surgical outcomes and highlight the need for further research to address this disparity in heart surgery survival rates.