Immediate and long-term results of percutaneous coronary angioplasty in patients aged 70 years or older

Percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA) nowadays appears asan attractive alternative to coronary artery by-pass graftingnot only in young adults, but also in elderly patients. Theaim of this study was to investigate the primary success, complicationsand long-term efficacy of PTCA in a consecutive series of 63patients aged 70 years or over. Results are analysed in comparisonto a younger group of423 subjects who were submitted to PTCAduring the same period of time. In the older group, PTCA wasapplied to 108 lesions. The angiographic success rate was 88%.Primary success was 87%, with a majority (91%) of complete revascularization.Failure of the procedure was recorded in eight patients (13%).Complications of PTCA were observed in three patients, (amongthese: one death). The outcome was excellent: out of 55 patientswith successful angioplasty, 52 (94.6%) were asymptomatic atthe time of hospital discharge. At follow-up (close to one year),84.6% of the patients remained asymptomatic. The comparisonwith the younger group of patients showed no difference in termsof primary success, failure rate or incidence of complications.We therefore conclude that PTCA can be performed with safetyand efficiency in patients aged 70 years or over.