[Acute myocardial infarction in patients over 70]

History and clinical course were studied in 299 patients with acute myocardial infarction. 133 patients aged 70 and older (group 2) were compared to 166 patients under 70 (group 1). Hospital mortality of the total group was 23%. The mortality rate among the older patients (31%) was significantly higher than among the younger patients (17%) (p less than 0.01). The major cause of death in both groups was cardiogenic shock. It is noteworthy that in eight cases from group 2 pulmonary embolism was diagnosed at autopsy in spite of the fact that the patients were receiving prophylactic antithrombotic therapy. Analyzing the histories, it was noticed that group 2 had a significantly higher percentage of hypertension and left heart failure, whereas in group 1 significantly more smokers and hyperlipidemics were found. During hospitalization left ventricular enlargement and insufficiency were diagnosed more often in the elderly. It may be assumed that this fact is one of the reasons for the increased mortality of group 2.