[Coronary angiography in octogenarians. Therapeutic impact and medium-term follow-up]

In the face of the general aging of the population and technical improvements, cardiologists are more commonly faced with the decision of whether to perform coronary angiography in octogenarians who are often in good general health. The morbidity and mortality of this investigation, its therapeutic impact and medium-term survival were analysed in 145 consecutive octogenarians who underwent coronary angiography between 1988 and 1996. In this study, coronary angiography was performed essentially for angina refractory to medical treatment and confirmed the severity of the lesions with stenosis of the left main stem in 7.6% of cases and multiple vessel disease in 67.5% of cases. The mortality related to the investigation was nil in this series. Revascularisation was feasible clinically and angiographically in 38% of cases (84% by angioplasty). The actuarial survival at 3 years was 65% in the group who underwent revascularisation and in the group treated medically.