In a new study, researchers found elderly patients suffering the most common type of heart attack may benefit from more invasive treatment.
The research was led by a team at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London.
The study draws on data captured over seven years from 1500 patients aged 80 or over.
The research looks at elderly patients admitted to the hospital with a type of heart attack called NSTEMI (non-ST segment elevated myocardial infarction).
They found patients who underwent invasive treatment with a coronary angiogram, followed up with bypass surgery or coronary stenting as appropriate, had higher survival rates than those who were treated with medication alone.
Patients who had coronary angiograms were also less likely to be re-admitted to the hospital with a second heart attack or heart failure.
Coronary angiograms are specialist X-rays to identify blockages in the blood supply to the heart.
They can help a clinician determine the cause of an NSTEMI heart attack and decide on effective treatment, such as increasing blood flow through a coronary stent or bypass grafting.
Previous studies have shown increased survival rates in younger patients with NSTEMI heart attacks following invasive treatment, but there has been conflicting evidence as to whether these benefits extend into patients over 80.
Only 38% of NSTEMI patients in this older age group currently receive invasive treatment, compared to 78%of the under 60s.
The team says because there has been no clear consensus on how best to manage elderly patients with this type of heart attack, many doctors have erred on the side of caution, not wanting to risk complications in their more vulnerable patients.
These results show they can now be more confident of the benefits that invasive treatment can bring for this group.
One researcher of the study is Dr. Amit Kaura.
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