[Myocardial infarction after 80 years of age. Apropos of 157 cases].

The authors evaluated the features of myocardial infarctions in a population of 157 subjects aged 80 years or more out of a total of 1,610 patients admitted for myocardial infarction. It was a common condition in this age group (9.8% of the population) with a female predominance (61.8%), the main risk factor begin hypertension. A previous history of angina or infarctions, silent ischaemia, atypical electrocardiographic forms and anterior infarction were significantly more common. The outcome was characterised by a higher prevalence of haemodynamic complications with cardiac failure in 60% of cases and cardiogenic shock in 10% of cases. Atrial fibrillation was also more common though severe ventricular arrythmias were more infrequent. From the therapeutic point of view, 95.7% of octogenarians were given intravenous heparin but thrombolysis was undertaken in only one case. Coronary angiography, angioplasty and cardiac surgery were exceptional. Hospital mortality was 26.7%, seven times higher than that observed in patients under 65 years of age and nearly twice that of patients 65 to 79 years of age. After hospital admission, 45% of octogenarians were prescribed a calcium inhibitor, 37.2% a platelet anti-aggregant agent, 17.2% long-term oral anticoagulants and 1.9% a betablocker. These results show that myocardial infarction after 80 years of age is common, serious, but treated conventionally.