Isolated aortic valve stenosis in the eighth decade.
Aortic valve stenosis was evaluated in 26 patients in the eighth decade of life, representing 20% of all patients referred for aortic valve stenosis. There were no clinical features which distinguished this older group from younger patients. Coronary artery disease was present in 46% of the older group, 30% in the younger. Angina pectoris or an infarction pattern on the electrocardiogram was not useful in predicting coronary artery disease in either group. A dominant left coronary circulation was more frequent (22%) in the younger than the older group. This was related to the higher incidence of congenitally deformed aortic valves (55%) found in the younger, compared in the advanced age group (5%). The surgical mortality in the younger and advanced age group was 8 and 20%, respectively. Mortality in both groups was related in more than half the patients to coronary artery disease.
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000150:complications; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000002:abnormalities; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male