The use of tissue-type plasminogen activator for acute myocardial infarction in the elderly: Results from thrombolysis in myocardial infarction phase I, open label studies and the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction phase II pilot study

The impact of age on hospital mortality, incidence of major hemorrhagic events and transfusion requirements was examined in 756 patients with acute myocardial infarction enrolled in the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Phase I, open label studies and the TIMI Phase II pilot study. The mortality rate significantly increased with age and was 3.5%, 11.5% and 12% in patients <65, 65 to 69 and 70 to 76 years of age, respectively (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses selected female gender, diabetes mellitus, extensive coronary artery disease, history of congestive heart failure, continuing chest pain immediately after recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) administration, low systolic blood pressure at the time of admission and advanced age as variables predictive of in-hospital death.