A new study brings hope for older adults who suffer from heart attacks.
It shows that clearing all major blocked heart arteries—not just the one causing the heart attack—could help save lives and prevent future heart problems.
Right now, doctors usually focus on fixing only the artery that caused the heart attack. This approach is called treating the ‘culprit’ artery. Many doctors are careful not to do too much at once, especially for older patients who may have other health issues or weaker bodies.
But a new study led by Dr. Simone Biscaglia from Ferrara University Hospital in Italy suggests we may need to rethink this. He says, ‘What we found is the exact opposite of what we used to think.’ His team discovered that treating all major blocked arteries—what doctors call ‘complete revascularization’—actually works better for older people too.
The study included 1,445 patients. About half of them were over 80 years old. Some were treated by opening only the artery that caused the heart attack. Others had all their blocked arteries treated. The results were impressive.
For those who had all major arteries cleared, the risk of dying or having another heart attack within a year dropped by 36%. When researchers looked at all health problems together—like death, repeat heart attacks, or needing another heart procedure—the risk dropped by 27%.
Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a heart expert from UCLA, confirmed the results. He said this method is better for people 75 and older. In the past, most research focused on younger patients. But this new study proves older people can also benefit from full treatment.
Dr. Gaurav Rao, another heart specialist in New York, agrees. He said the study shows that older adults do better if doctors treat all their major blockages, not just the one causing the heart attack. This means they will likely stay healthier and avoid future heart problems.
Because of these strong results, many experts believe it’s time to change how doctors treat heart attacks. They recommend that patients of all ages with more than one blocked artery should get full treatment whenever possible.
The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and shared at a major heart conference in Amsterdam. It adds to a growing belief in the medical community that a full repair is often better than a quick fix.
If you’re interested in heart health, you might also want to read about how vitamin K may reduce heart disease by a third, or how a year of regular exercise can improve heart failure. Other studies show which supplements may protect against heart disease and stroke, and how some food ingredients may raise the risk of dying from heart disease.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about a surprising link between alcohol drinking and heart health and both blood pressure numbers can predict heart disease risk.
For more about heart health, please read studies about a new cause of heart rhythm disorders and eating just one cup of nitrate-rich vegetables daily can reduce heart disease risk.
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