Heart bypass operations have gotten safer, but not everyone is benefiting equally: New data shows that Black patients face a 22% higher odds of dying in the hospital after their surgeries.

Although a combination of certain pain medications has been found to be more effective than opioids alone at managing discomfort after surgery, Black patients are less likely to receive this level of care while recovering from a major procedure,

After Black patients undergo a surgery, they are much more likely than their White peers to receive only an opioid for post-op pain relief, rather than a more nuanced combo of analgesics, a new study finds.