title: [Clinical features and prognosis of acute myocardial infarction among patients aged 80 years or older].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Subjects older than 80 years have more complicated acute myocardial infarctions and are subjected to less reperfusion procedures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the hospital evolution and follow up of patients older than 80 years, suffering an acute myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients older than 80 years, were selected from a prospective registry of acute myocardial infarction. Among these, the hospital evolution, mortality and events during a period of five years of follow up, were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 1200 patients, 83 (7%) were aged 80 years or older. Among these, 59% were male and 22% were diabetic. The mean lapse between onset of symptoms and admission was 11 hours and 59% were admitted with less than 6 hours of evolution. Sixty-three percent had a history of a previous infarction and 24% had a Killip IV classification on admission. Reperfusion therapy was done in 19% and 70% had heart failure during evolution. A coronary angiography was done in 22% and 6% were subjected to revascularization. Mortality was 34%, specially due to cardiogenic shock or ventricular rupture. Of 55 patients discharged from the hospital, 31% died within one year and 64% within five years, mainly due to cardiac causes. conclusions: Patients aged 80 years or older have more complicated myocardial infarctions, most of them are managed conservatively and long term mortality is high.
authors.affiliation: Centro Cardiovascular, Hospital Clinico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. hugalde@redclinicauchile.cl
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ugalde
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizarro
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dreyse