Safe at Any Age: Octogenarians Do As Well as Younger Patients With Interventional Radiology Arterial Procedures

WASHINGTON, March 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Seniors
over the age of 80 can safely undergo diagnostic angiography
and arterial interventions -- such as vascular stenting and
angioplasty -- and do just as well as younger patients. A study
released today during the Society of Interventional
Radiology's 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting indicates that
seniors (ages 85-93) tolerated these procedures well, avoided
surgery and could be treated as outpatients -- irrespective of
age. The outcomes of the treatments in the octogenarians
were compared to those of 50- to 79-year-old patients who
had an equivalent procedure during the same time period by
the same doctor. The study included 64 octogenarians who
had arterial angioplasty and/or stenting to treat peripheral
arterial disease (PAD) -- caused by blocked arteries in the
legs -- or to improve blood flow to the kidneys by opening
blocked arteries that deliver blood to that organ. All were
treated as outpatients and followed after discharge from
the hospital.


source: PR Newswire