Primary Coronary Intervention in Octogenarians and Nonagenarians With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Canadian Single-Center Perspective

The proportion of individuals >80 years of age constitute an increasing proportion of patients who present with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The objective of this study is to evaluate in-hospital outcomes and 1-year survival of very elderly patients who present with an STEMI and undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Between 2009 and 2015, individuals >80 years of age (very elderly patients) with an STEMI presenting at a single tertiary Canadian care center were included in the study. A random sample of 100 individuals aged 65 to 69 years over the same time period were selected as a control group. A total of 284 patients were included in the study population including 100 controls, 164 octogenarians, and 20 nonagenarians. Of total, 1661 pPCIs occurred during this study period with the very elderly population (>80 years) comprising 11.1% of the total pPCIs. Compared with controls, individuals aged >80 are more likely to have a delay in treatment with increased rates of bleeding, acute kidney injury, rehospitalization, and a trend toward longer hospital stays following pPCI for STEMI. Although in-hospital and 1-year mortality were similar between both cohorts >80 years of age with STEMI, their overall survival was reduced compared with controls.