Myocardial revascularisation in the elderly: complementary roles for coronary angioplasty and bypass grafting.
Coronary artery disease is a common finding, responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Despite this, there is a general reluctance to refer elderly patients for further investigation as the perceived risks are thought to outweight any potential benefit. This is not however borne out by the available evidence, which suggests that revascularisation procedures carry little additional risk in appropriately selected elderly patients. Chronological age per se should, therefore, no longer be a bar to myocardial revascularisation.
Thoraxcentrum, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Violaris
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Angelini
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization