Mortality Rates Low Among Ageing Population Undergoing Bypass Surgery

Despite an ageing population, outcomes for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients in Victoria remained steady between 2001 and 2006, and 30-day mortality rates are still low, according to a study published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Dr Diem Dinh – Research Fellow at the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Monash University – and co-authors studied the preoperative risk factors and postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing CABG surgery in Victoria over the five-year period 2001-2006.

Rates of 30-day mortality and postoperative risk of disease after CABG surgery have remained steady despite an increase in the age of patients, Dr Dinh says.

“The mean age of patients undergoing isolated CABG surgery increased from 65.4 years in 2001–02 to 66 years in 2005–06.

“There was also an increase in the proportion of patients with hypertension, respiratory disease, and left main coronary artery disease.

“The number of patients undergoing repeat CABG surgery decreased.”

The low mortality rate is the same as that reported in the United Kingdom and is lower than the United States.

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Dr Dinh says further research is needed into the longer-term outcomes of CABG surgery patients, as well as a comparison between outcomes in other Australian states and territories.

“We are in the process of developing a web-based system that will streamline data collection and provide real-time benchmarking measures.”

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The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.

Source-MJA
SRM/L