Treatment and outcomes of nonagenarians with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

J Invasive Cardiol. 2010 Oct;22(10):474-8.

Abstract

There is no age limit for reperfusion therapy in the current guidelines for the treatment of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Reperfusion therapy, although associated with better outcomes, is not always offered to the oldest patients. A retrospective analysis at our institution of all patients ≥ 90 years of age with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome at discharge from 2004 to 2008 identified 24 patients with STEMI. The majority of patients were Caucasian, females, hypertensive, with a low incidence of dementia and diabetes. Only 29% of patients presented to the hospital in less than 6 hours. Thirteen patients were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and 11 patients were treated medically. The in-hospital mortality was 23% in the PCI group and 36% in the medical therapy group. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a survival benefit favoring PCI, which disappeared when only patients presenting after 6 hours to the hospital were analyzed. PCI-treated patients had no procedure-associated complications and had a good prognosis if they survived to hospital discharge. PCI should be offered to nonagenarians presenting with STEMI.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Hospital Mortality
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnosis
  • Myocardial Infarction / mortality
  • Myocardial Infarction / therapy*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Survival Rate