Approximately 2,400 Internet searches are performed each month for information related to heart bypass surgery. Despite the abundance of information about this common cardiovascular surgery, scientists are still searching for answers to one important question. Why are women at higher risk of complications after surgery than men?
Intended to shed light on where women’s heart care needs attention, the Yale Women’s Health study by Viola Vaccarino, M.D., found that women’s outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafts were significantly higher than those of men. It was the first to warn the medical community that it was worse in comparison. (CABG) Surgery.
This study found that differences in outcomes could not be explained by preoperative health, current illness, or various patient characteristics. , women were almost twice as likely to be rehospitalized as men (20.5% of women and 11% of men), had infections, and reported reduced physical function. and experience more depressive symptoms.
“Six months after surgery, both women and men showed improvement in functional status, but we found that women had about half the improvement compared to men,” said Dr. Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Emory University.
Thanks to these findings, and the subsequent work of many others committed to improving heart health for all people, cardiology research and clinical care will continue to build on this important 2003 foundation. It has come a long way since the study was published. For example, robotic surgery has facilitated surgery on small blood vessels in women’s hearts. Extensive research on the pre- and post-operative use of statins, the most common cholesterol-lowering drugs, also suggests that these drugs can significantly reduce the risk of common post-surgical complications in women and men. I already know.
“Further trials exclusive to women are needed if we are to address this high risk of adverse outcomes.”
Dr. Mario Guadino, Weill Cornell Medicine
Nevertheless, a March 2023 study by Mario Guadino, MD, PhD, and colleagues JAMA Surgery Note that even with improved overall outcomes after bypass surgery, women remain at higher risk of complications than men.
This does not mean that the approximately 111,000 women who undergo coronary artery bypass surgery each year face a difficult recovery. Rather, it means that we need to continue to focus on gender differences in the biology of heart disease, and that women need to be adequately represented in clinical trials.
“The general feeling in the medical and research community was that if CABG results improved over time, gender differences would disappear and, as a result, women-specific research and clinical trials would not always be prioritized. That was it,” said Dr. Guadino. , is a cardiologist and professor of Weill Cornell Medicine. “Further trials exclusive to women are needed if we are to address this high risk of adverse outcomes.”
Research led by Dr. Guadino is currently underway to increase enrollment of women in cardiac clinical trials using an innovative design. Furthermore, we aim to generate meaningful data on the risks and benefits of grafting multiple arteries in bypass surgery for both men and women.
Advances that improve women’s health and healthcare are worthwhile investments. In one of her first research grants, Yale University’s Women’s Health Research funded Dr. Vaccarino’s research with the goal of improving outcomes for women. Now on its 25th anniversary, the Center continues to be committed to intentional efforts to lead change, and welcomes a reminder of the importance of long-term commitment. Continuing to invest will yield the greatest payoff in improved health and well-being.