Common procedure to fix narrow arteries carries higher risk of adverse events for Black patients

Black patients who undergo a common procedure to treat the narrowing of arteries are more likely to die following the treatment than white patients, according to new research. Researchers reviewed data from 10 trials that followed up with more than 22,600 patients who underwent the procedure — known as percutaneous coronary intervention. Although the vast majority of patients in the review were white, around 19% of them experienced an adverse cardiac side effect in the five years following a PCI, compared to 24% of Black patients who experienced the same. Overall, Black patients had about a 28% higher risk of a major cardiac event in the five years after a PCI compared to white patients, and also had higher rates of death at one- and five-year follow-ups after a PCI.