CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY IN THE ELDERLY - IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM RESULTS

Coronary angioplasty was performed in 37 elderly patients (>sixty-eigh t years) with unstable or stable angina, refractory to medical treatme nt. History of myocardial infarction was present in 38% and of previou s bypass surgery in 5% of patients. Coronary angiography revealed sing le-vessel disease in 22 (59%) and multivessel disease in 15 (41%) of p atients. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 53+/-17%. Per cutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was successful in 9 2% of patients; there were two angioplasty failures and 1 acute occlus ion leading to Q wave myocardial infarction. In patients with multives sel disease complete revascularization was achieved in 33%. Follow-up data (21.29+/-9.23 months) are available in all patients with primary angiographic success. There was 1 death. Seventy-nine percent of patie nts had an improved anginal status, and repeat PTCA was performed in 2 patients because of clinical recurrence. Thus, coronary angioplasty i s a safe and efficacious method of revascularization in symptomatic pa tients over the age of sixty-eight years.