[Serum lipid states in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction: comparison between patients aged 60 to 79 and 80 years and over].

Recently, the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the elderly patients has increased. The clinical features have not been extensively studied, so this study attempted to clarify the clinical course and prognosis of elderly patients with AMI. The patients were divided into two groups, those over 80 years old and those between 60 and 79 years old. The clinical symptoms, electrocardiographic findings, complications, and short-term prognosis were compared. The serum lipid levels were compared between the AMI groups and age-matched control groups consisting of subjects without sclerotic heart disease. There was no significant difference in clinical symptoms between the two groups, electrocardiographic findings, incidence of complications, and mortality. The total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, and atherogenic index were significantly higher in the 60-79 years old AMI group, but no significant difference was observed in the 80 years and over AMI group compared to the control group. The HDL cholesterol level of the 60-79 years old AMI group was significantly lower, but no significant difference was observed in the 80 years and over group. There was no significant difference in triglyceride level in either AMI group. Therefore, in patients aged 60-79 years hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for ischemic heart disease, but the relationship between serum lipid and AMI is not positively established in patients older than 80 years. These results suggest that the significance of hyperlipidemia in patients over 80 years old should be reconsidered.