P. Abrahamsson et al., ACTIVE TREATMENT OF ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION ON MORTALITY AND RECOVERY IN VERY ELDERLY PATIENTS, Cardiology in the elderly, 4(2-3), 1996, pp. 89-92
Aim To assess whether elderly patients derive similar benefit from act
ive pharmacological treatment of acute myocardial infarction as the in
farct population in general. Methods We compared in-hospital mortality
and 2-year survival in two groups of patients aged 80 years or more a
nd admitted with acute myocardial infarct to the coronary care unit at
Ostra Hospital, Goteborg. in 1984-85, 81 such patients were admitted,
none of whom received thrombolytic agents, intravenous nitroglycerin
or intravenous beta-blockers. In 1989-90, 137 elderly patients were ad
mitted, of whom 20 (15%) received thrombolytic agents, 44 (32%) intrav
enous nitroglycerin and 30 (22%) intravenous betablockers. Results In
1984-85, 60 patients (74%) survived to leave the hospital compared to
99 (72%) in 1989-90 (NS). The 2-year survival rate for patients admitt
ed in 1984-85 was 36% compared with 39% in 1989-90 (NS). The mean dura
tion of hospital stay was 13.6 days for patients discharged alive in 1
984-85 and 10.5 days for those discharged in 1989-90 (P = 0.0043). Con
clusions Our findings suggest that while more active pharmacological t
reatment of acute myocardial infarction in patients aged 80 years or m
ore may have only a limited effect on survival, such treatment may sho
rten the hospital stay.