Identification of very high risk octogenarians undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery: results of a multicenter study

Potassium induced contraction of the internal thoracic artery in vitro is time related: the potential consequences in the analysis of the mechanism of the spasm after coronary artery bypass grafting and in the analysis of the results of in vitro studies

The aim of the present study was to examine how, under in vitro conditions, the human left internal thoracic artery (LITA) reacts to contractile agonist:potassium chloride (KCL) as a function of time, as well as to examine whether a change in the LITA reactivity can correlate with the occurrence of the refractory vascular spasm (RVS). Distal segments of LITA obtained from 33 patients aged 38–73, at the time of routine coronary artery surgical revascularization (CABG). Contractile response to 80 mmol K⁺ was recorded under isometric conditions. In 16 (48,5 %) LITA segments, contractile reaction to K⁺ after experiments ranging 1–10 h were registered. No contractile response even after 10 h of incubation was observed in 17 (51.5 %) LITA segments. Between 120 and 300 min after the beginning of the experiment, the reaction was maximum and amounted up to 300 % control reaction, then decreased. First, with respect to in vitro research isolated by LITA rings, while analyzing the results of the research, one should take into consideration the possibility that during the research, the functional state of the tissues changes and in particular its sensitivity to depolarization of the cell membrane. Second, the change in the sensitivity to depolarization of the cell membrane of the smooth muscles’ LITA might be the potential mechanism causing the occurrence of the postoperative spasm after the CABG treatment.

Prognostic implications of optimal medical therapy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome in octogenarians

The proportion of elderly acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients who receive optimal medical therapy (OMT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and whether OMT affects their long-term outcomes remain unclear. We retrospectively investigated 405 ACS patients who underwent stent implantation between 2005 and 2009, and compared the outcomes between patients <80 years of age vs. ≥80 years of age. The prescription rate of the recommended medical agents for ACS in both groups during hospitalization and 2 years after admission was also retrieved. Among the enrolled study population, 75 patients (19%) were aged ≥80 years. These elderly patients had a higher 2-year mortality compared with patients aged <80 years group. The prescription rate of beta-blockers, angiotensin-blocking drugs, and statins tended to be lower in patients aged ≥80 years than in those aged <80 years. Furthermore, among patients ≥80 years of age, those who received OMT had better clinical outcome of 2-year mortality compared to those without OMT. Elderly patients with ACS treated by PCI are at substantially higher risk of adverse events than younger patients. However, they are less likely to receive OMT. PCI with OMT might improve the clinical outcomes of elderly ACS patients.