The increased incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in patients with aortic sclerosis is associated with coronary artery disease and inflammation, not a result of the effects of valvular heart disease per se.

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Between January 1995 and July 1998, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was performed on 27 lesions in 24 octogenarians. Half of the patients were African American. Women comprised 67% of the study group. Patients with unstable angina and myocardial infarction constituted 54% of the cohort. Two-thirds of the patients (83%) had single vessel disease with predominant class A and B lesion complexity of the angioplasty site. Acute success rate was 92%. Stents were successfully placed in 11 subjects (46%). None had acute myocardial infarction, emergency coronary artery bypass surgery, or stroke as a complication of the procedure. One patient presenting with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock, died. Significant bleeding complications requiring blood transfusions occurred in 17% of patients. Of the patients, 23 (96%) were discharged in a clinically stable condition. Follow up during a two year period was completed in 21 patients (88%). One patient died of cancer. Four subjects (19%) underwent repeat percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. One other patient had recurrent chest pain requiring multiple hospitalizations. The remaining 16 patients (76%) remained free of recurrence of angina. We concluded that percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with stent placement can be performed in octogenarians with a high rate of clinical and angiographic success with an acceptable range of morbidity and mortality, and favorable long term (two year) outcome. (c) 2000 by CVRR, Inc.

The present results show that while there have been substantial increases over time in the use of thrombolytic therapy in patients with AMI, most particularly in older individuals, the elderly remain appreciably less likely to receive these agents during hospitalization for AMI. These differences may be due to the smaller percentage of elderly patients satisfying criteria for the use of these agents compared with younger patients with coronary heart disease, as well as to a reluctance by physicians to use these agents in older patients. Continued monitoring of these trends remains important for examining changes in physicians' practice patterns regarding the use of thrombolytic therapy in this vulnerable population.