Blacks Are Less Likely Than Whites to Have Heart Bypasses, Study Finds

Blacks are substantially less likely than whites to undergo bypass surgery for heart trouble even when they have equal access to specialists and high-tech care, according to a study at Duke University Medical Center. A review of records at the school found that blacks were 32% less likely to have bypass surgery and 13% less likely to undergo balloon angioplasty, even after differences in the severity of their disease were taken into account.

Although the study could not determine why blacks were less likely to have bypass operations, the researchers speculated in the Feb. 13 New England Journal of Medicine that many blacks may prefer less invasive approaches to their disease.