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[Cardiac surgery in patients over 70. Its incidence and trends in Spain]
M Pera1, C A Mestres, J L Pomar
1Servicio de Cirugía Cardiovascular, Hospital Clínico y Provincial, Universidad de Barcelona.
Introduction And Objectives:
During the last years elderly population has been growing in all the occidental world. Consequently the number of elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery has increased. The aim of this work is to know whether this increase has also taken place in Spain.
Methods:
A survey among the different Units in the country was performed. The number and percentages of patients older than 70 years with coronary and valvular heart disease operated among 1991 and 1992 was analysed. Twenty-one of the 28 units replied (74%).
Results:
The percentage of coronary patients older than 70 years operated in 1991 was 15.61% and 19.20% in 1992, a statistically significant increase of 21.84% (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant increase in the number of elderly patients undergoing valvular surgery.
Conclusions:
The influence of the elderly population on the activity in cardiac surgery is known to be significant; thus, a careful analysis of the health, social and economic implications seems to be mandatory.