CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY IN PATIENTS 75 YEARS AND OLDER - COMPARISON WITH CORONARY-BYPASS SURGERY

From November 1988 to May 1992 108 patients (79 men 29 women) 75 years or older (mean 78 ± 3 range 75-90 years) underwent coronary angioplasty (group I: n=62) or coronary bypass surgery (group II: n=46). Group II patients were younger (76 ± 2 vs 79 ± 4, P=0.002) and had a higher proportion of multivessel disease. The two groups were comparable with regard to the presence of unstable angina left ventricular ejection fraction and Q wave infarction. In-hospital mortality was similar in the two groups (6.4% vs 4.3%). Complete revascularization (72% vs 47% P<0.05) and left anterior descending artery revascularization (100% vs 45% P<0.01) were frequent in group II. Two-year infarction-free survival was similar (group I: 76 ± 6%; group II: 79 ± 6%) but recurrent class III or IV angina (36% vs 9% P<0.05) and repeat procedures (26% vs 0% P<0.05) were more frequent in group I.