title: [Primary angioplasty in acute ST elevation myocardial infarction in the elderly].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Based on data from the literature, it has been suggested that elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction will benefit more from primary angioplasty than from thrombolysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 100 consecutive patients, age 75 years or more, presenting with an acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without cardiogenic shock and treated with primary angioplasty were analysed retrospectively. Some variables were compared with previously published data on a group of 100 younger patients (mean age 59) with STEMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Angiographically, the success rate of revascularization was similar between the elderly (mean age 80) and the younger STEMI patients. Mortality, both at 30 days and at 1 year, was higher among the elderly patients compared with the younger (15% vs. 1% and 21% vs. 3% respectively, both p < 0.001). In the same time period, primary angioplasty was performed in seven patients > or = 75 years who presented with cardiogenic shock at admission. All of these died during hospitalization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Technically, the success rate of primary angioplasty in elderly patients with STEMI was similar to that in younger STEMI patients. Mortality after 30 days was significantly higher among the elderly patients, but the mortality rate from 30 days to 1 year after the infarction was similar to that of the same age group in the general population. Patients > or = 75 years presenting with STEMI and cardiogenic shock had no benefit of angioplasty; all died during hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Hjertemedisinsk avdeling, Ullevål universitetssykehus, 0407 Oslo. jeri@uus.no
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eritsland
authors.forename: Nils-Einar
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Kløw
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Westheim
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bendz
authors.forename: Arild
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangschau
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome