[Effectiveness of the aorto-coronary by-pass procedure in elderly patients]

This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG) in elderly patients with coronary artery disease. A consecutive series of 79 patients, 65 years of age and older, who underwent CABG from 1975 to 1981 was analysed and their follow up status ascertained. This group was compared with a consecutive series of 397 patients under the age of 65 who underwent CABG during the same period. The patients aged 65 years or greater had a higher incidence of unstable angina pectoris (p less than 0.05). Coronary angiographic and left ventriculographic features were comparable in both age groups; also comparable were the number of saphenous veins graft utilized and the number of left ventricular aneurysmectomies and mitral valve replacements performed. The hospital mortality rate for patients aged 65 years and older was 12.6%, for those aged less than 65, it was 8.3%; if the other cardiac procedures are excluded mortality rates become 12.5% and 6.0% respectively (n.s.). Survival at 6 years was 92% for patients in both age groups. However, the symptomatic status was less favourable in older patients, compared with that obtained in younger patients (p less than 0.05).