Fewer rich people die after surgery

People living in the most deprived areas of England are more likely to die after heart surgery than those in richer areas, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.

Information from 44,902 patients, followed for up to a decade, found an increased risk of dying among poorer people, even after factors such as diabetes and obesity were taken into account.

The information was collected from five hospitals in Birmingham and the North West.

The study found that 1,461 patients (3.25%) died in hospital following their surgery and 5,563 patients (12.4%) died in the first five years after surgery.

People in deprived areas were all more likely to smoke, to be obese and suffer from diabetes.

Diabetes carried a 31% increased risk of death while smoking raised the chances by 29%.

However, even after these factors were taken into account, deprivation was independently linked to the risk of dying.