Purpose: To determine the risks and the consequences of coronary angiography performed on octogenarians with symptomatic coronary artery disease.

Patients and methods: In order to define angiographic findings, procedural complications, and therapeutic consequences, a retrospective evaluation was made of 115 consecutive patients with angina, aged 80 or above, who underwent coronary angiography in our institution between 1988 and 1992.

Results: In all, 115 patients (68 men) aged 82 +/- 2 years, 70% with unstable angina, underwent coronary angiography corresponding to 1.4% of all the procedures performed between 1988 and 1992. Three-vessel or left main coronary artery disease, or both, was found in 42% of cases, but this proportion decreased over the years. Revascularization by means of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) or bypass grafting followed angiography in 54% of cases. Use of revascularization has markedly increased, from 33% in 1988 to 64% in 1992 (P < 0.05), and now tends to be performed more often by PTCA. Eight patients (7%) suffered minor periprocedural complications and 8 patients (7%) died in the hospital, but none of the deaths was directly related to the diagnostic procedure itself. At follow-up (28 +/- 16 months), 68% and 44% of the survivors were free of angina after revascularization and medical treatment, respectively (P < 0.05), and there was a nonsignificant trend for better survival after revascularization. Of the survivors, 80% were able to pursue an independent life.

Conclusions: Coronary angiography may be done in symptomatic octogenarians with an acceptably low complication rate. Following diagnostic evaluation, revascularization procedures are performed in an increasing proportion of patients, and despite a relatively high procedural complication rate, they result in definite symptomatic improvement.