AGE-RELATED MORTALITY, CLINICAL HEART-FAILURE, AND VENTRICULAR-FIBRILLATION IN 4259 DANISH PATIENTS AFTER ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

Aims To evaluate the prognosis of patients greater than or equal to 80 years old, we analysed a large, community-based population with acute myocardial infarction who received intensive observation and similar pharmacotherapy regardless of age. Methods and results In a 12-year pe riod, before the introduction of thrombolysis, 4259 consecutive patien ts hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction from the same hospita l in Denmark were retrospectively registered. Their complications and mortality in hospital, and 1 and 5 years after discharge were analysed retrospectively. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 11% for patients less than <50 years old, 22% for patients 60-69 years old and 43% for patients greater than or equal to 80 years old. Two thirds of patients greater than or equal to 80 years old had heart failure, and cardioge nic shock was tu ice as common in this age group than in patients 60-6 9 years. Heart failure was a strong independent risk, factor for post- discharge mortality, particularly in the oldest age groups. Four out o f eight patients greater than or equal to 80 years survived one year i f discharged alive after experiencing in-hospital ventricular fibrilla tion. Conclusion The life-saving potential of preventing or treating h eart failure seems considerable even in the oldest patient groups. Pat ients greater than or equal to 80 years old who survive in-hospital ve ntricular fibrillation have an acceptable prognosis I year post-discha rge.