In a study of older adults (75+ years) undergoing a heart procedure known as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for stable heart disease, researchers examined how complexity of the procedure impacted patient outcomes.

The team, led by Jonathan Hanna, MD, and supervised by Michael Nanna, MD, MHS, FSCAI, assistant professor of medicine (cardiovascular medicine), analyzed 513 patients of an average age 81, who received either complex or noncomplex PCI. They found that patients receiving the complex PCI had a higher risk of death within a year (10.2%) compared to the noncomplex PCI group (5.9%), even after adjusting for other factors. However, those who underwent complex PCI were less likely to need additional heart procedures called target lesion revascularization.

Based on their findings, the researchers assert that additional studies are required to explore the predictors of outcomes following elective complex percutaneous coronary intervention in older adults, given the increasing prevalence of these procedures in this demographic.

To learn more, read the article: “Complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Outcomes in Older Adults”

Hanna JM, Wang SY, Kochar A, et al. Complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Outcomes in Older Adults. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(19):e029057. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.029057