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Background Data in the literature on acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa are scarce. Methods and Results We conducted a systematic review of the MEDLINE (PubMed) database of observational studies of acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2020. Acute coronary syndrome was defined according to current definitions. Abstracts and then the full texts of the selected articles were independently screened by 2 blinded investigators. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses standards. We identified 784 articles with our research strategy, and 27 were taken into account for the final analysis. Ten studies report a prevalence of acute coronary syndrome among patients admitted for cardiovascular disease ranging from 0.21% to 22.3%. Patients were younger, with a minimum age of 52 years in South Africa and Djibouti. There was a significant male predominance. Hypertension was the main risk factor (50%–55% of cases). Time to admission tended to be long, with the longest times in Tanzania (6.6 days) and Burkina Faso (4.3 days). Very few patients were admitted by medicalized transport, particularly in Côte d'Ivoire (only 34% including 8% by emergency medical service). The clinical presentation is dominated by ST–elevation sudden cardiac arrest. Percutaneous coronary intervention is not widely available but was performed in South Africa, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, Sudan, and Mauritania. Fibrinolysis was the most accessible means of revascularization, with streptokinase as the molecule of choice. Hospital mortality was highly variable between 1.2% and 24.5% depending on the study populations and the revascularization procedures performed. Mortality at follow‐up varied from 7.8% to 43.3%. Some studies identified factors predictive of mortality. Conclusions The significant disparities in our results underscore the need for a multicenter registry for acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa in order to develop consensus‐based strategies, propose and evaluate tailored interventions, and identify prognostic factors.

AIM To describe the coronary angiographic aspects observed in patients with dilated cardiomyopathies (DCM) in a sub-Saharan African country in order to improve their management. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study conducted from 1 January 2010 to 31 March 2016. All patients aged 18 years and older, presenting with DCM and admitted to Abidjan Heart Institute, who underwent coronary angiography were included. One hundred and eight patients were selected. We analysed and compared the coronary angiographic features observed. RESULTS The median age of our patients was 52 years (46-61). There was a male predominance (sex ratio = 3). Hypertension (53.7%) was the major cardiovascular risk factor found. Coronary angiography was abnormal in 37 patients (34.3%). Twenty-three patients (21.3%) had obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients with CAD were older than those with normal coronary arteries, but with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.06). Hypertension (p < 0.001) and diabetes (p = 0.0003) were statistically significantly more commonly reported in patients with CAD. CONCLUSIONS Ischaemic heart disease is likely to be underdiagnosed in sub-Saharan Africa. A coronary angiographic assessment of patients receiving treatment for DCM, especially in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, should help optimise their management and improve prognosis.

Coronary angiography data are scarce for black patients with diabetes.To assess coronary angiography findings in patients with diabetes at the Abidjan Heart Institute.This observational cross-sectional survey was conducted between 1 April 2010 and 31 December 2014. All patients admitted for known or suspected coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography were included in the Registre Prospectif des Actes de Cardiologie Interventionnelle de l'Institut de Cardiologie d'Abidjan. We analysed and compared coronary angiographical findings in patients with and without diabetes.Eighty patients with diabetes were compared with 353 patients without diabetes. Patients with diabetes were significantly older (58.7±8.9 vs 52.1±11.5 years; P0.001). Hypertension and hypertriglyceridaemia were significantly associated with diabetes (P0.001 and P=0.04, respectively). A higher proportion of patients with diabetes had an abnormal coronary angiogram (85.0% vs 67.7%; P=0.002). Coronary artery disease in patients with diabetes was predominantly characterized by multivessel disease (P0.001). Cardiovascular risk factors associated with diabetes influenced the severity of coronary lesions. A SYNTAX score≥33 was found in a higher proportion of patients with diabetes (12.5% vs 7.1%). In the multivariable logistic regression, after adjustment, age60 years (hazard ratio 2.53, 95% confidence interval 1.59-4.04; P0.001) and diabetes (hazard ratio 2.12, 95% confidence interval 1.26-3.57; P=0.004) were associated with multivessel coronary artery disease.In our study, diabetes emerged as a risk factor for multivessel coronary artery disease. Future studies should help to define the long-term prognosis of these patients, and to assess the benefits of myocardial revascularization procedures.

Background Major in-hospital mortality rate in patients with ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) in Sub-Saharan Africa has been reported. Data on follow-up in these patients with STEMI are scarce. We aimed to assess medium and long-term prognosis in patients with STEMI admitted to Abidjan Heart Institute. Methods Prospective cohort study including 260 patients admitted for STEMI to Abidjan Heart Institute, from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2015. We compared mortality and nonfatal cardiovascular complications in revascularized and non-revascularized groups. Survival curve was generated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Predictors of mortality after STEMI were determined by multivariable Cox regression. Results Of the 260 patients followed up on a median period of 39 months [28–68 months], 94 patients (36.1%) were revascularized and 166 (63.8%) were non-revascularized. Crude all-cause mortality was 10.4%. It was significantly higher in non-revascularized patients (p = 0.04). There was no difference in the occurrence of nonfatal cardiovascular complications in the 2 groups. In multivariable Cox regression, age ≥ 70 years, female gender and heart failure were the predictive factors for death after adjustment. Conclusions STEMI remains an important cause of mortality in our practice. Healthcare policies should be developed to improve patient care and long-term outcomes.

ObjectivesThe incidence of cardiovascular diseases is increasing and there is a growing need to provide access to quality cardio drugs in Africa. In the SEVEN study, we analysed 1530 cardiovascular drug samples randomly collected from 10 African countries. By that time, of the seven drugs products analysed, only those containing amlodipine and captopril had very low assay values with active substance contents that could be less than 75% of those expected. In this article we investigate complementary aspects of the amlodipine and captopril samples so to explain the previously observed low assays for these two drugs.DesignPost hoc analysis of the captopril and amlodipine drugs samples and their packages collected in the context of the SEVEN study.Setting10 countries were concerned: Benin, Burkina Faso, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo.ParticipantsLocal scientists and hospital practitioners collected the drug samples in the 10 African countries.Outcome measuresThe drug amount and the relative amounts of drug impurities, as well as the main compounds of the drugs packaging, were analysed.ResultsIdentification of the blister packaging of the samples led to separate both amlodipine and captopril drug samples in two groups. Mann Whitney’s bilateral test showed a significant difference (pConclusionBased on these results, particular attention should be paid to the materials and types of packaging used in order to minimise the lack of control over the exposures and drug circuits present in these different countries.

International audience

Many predicted a heavy toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on Africa. Its weakened health systems were harbingers of a terrible outcome. However, local expertise gathered from previous outbreaks and centralized public-health infrastructure with a clear action plan, in addition to a favorable demographic structure and climate, have put many countries in the continent in good standing to face this epidemic head on.

Background Implementation of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in sub-Saharan Africa remains a challenging issue. The aim of this study was to report the results of primary PCI and outcomes in the catheterisation laboratory of the Abidjan Heart Institute. Methods Between April 2010 and March 2019, all patients aged 18 years presenting to the Abidjan Heart Institute for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) over the study period and who underwent primary PCI were included. We considered primary PCI when it was performed within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Baseline data, PCI characteristics and outcomes were analysed. Results Among a total of 780 patients hospitalised for STEMI, 471 were admitted within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. One-hundred and sixty six patients underwent primary PCI, with a ratio of primary PCI/STEMI of up to 21.3%. One hundred and six patients (63.9%) were admitted within 12 hours of the onset of symptoms. The femoral approach was the most commonly used (78.3%). Primary PCI was performed with stent implantation in 84.3% of patients. Drug-eluting stents (DES) were used in 42.1% of patients. In most cases, angiographic success was observed (157/166, 94.6%). Non-fatal complications were mainly haematomas (3.6%). Peri-procedural mortality rate was 1.2%. Conclusions Primary PCI can be performed safely in some small-volume centres in sub-Saharan Africa. Healthcare policies and regional networks must be encouraged in order to improve management of STEMI patients.

Objective Hypertension results in more deaths than any other risk factor and has been on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa over the past few decades. Generic drugs have helped improve accessibility and affordability of antihypertensive therapy in developing countries. However, assessment of quality standards of these products is important. We performed a quality assessment of five commonly used antihypertensive generic drugs in 10 sub-Saharan African countries and studied the impact of price on quality. Methods Drug samples were prospectively collected using standardized methods between 2012 and 2014. We developed a validated reversed-phase liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method to accurately quantify the active ingredient in a certified public laboratory. Quality was defined based on the percentage ratio of measured to expected dosage of active ingredient. Results A total of 1185 samples were assessed, of which 70.0% were generic (n = 830). Among the generic drugs, the percentage of poor-quality drugs was 24.3% (n = 202/830). The percentage ratio of measured to expected dosage of active ingredient ranged from 49.2 to 111.3%; the majority (81.7%) of the poor-quality samples had insufficient quantity of the active ingredient. Moreover, poor quality was not associated with purchase price of the drug. Conclusion In this study from 10 sub-Saharan African countries, nearly one-quarter of the available generic antihypertensive drugs were found to be of poor quality. Concerted measures to improve the quality of antihypertensive drugs could lead to major improvements in hypertension control with attendant reduction of its deleterious consequences in low-income and middle-income countries.

International audience

AIM: The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between acute hyperglycaemia and in-hospital mortality in black Africans with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). METHODS: From January 2002 to December 2017, 1 168 patients aged ≥ 18 years old, including 332 patients with diabetes (28.4%), consecutively presented to the intensive care unit of the Abidjan Heart Institute for ACS. Baseline data and outcomes were compared in patients with and without hyperglycaemia at admission (> 140 mg/dl; 7.8 mmol/l). Predictors for death were determined by multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of admission hyperglycaemia was 40.6%. It was higher in patients with diabetes (55.3%). In multivariate logistic regression, acute hyperglycaemia (hazard ratio = 2.33; 1.44–3.77; p < 0.001), heart failure (HR = 2.22; 1.38–3.56; p = 0.001), reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HR = 6.41; 3.72–11.03; p < 0.001, sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation (HR = 3.43; 1.37–8.62; p = 0.008) and cardiogenic shock (HR = 8.82; 4.38–17.76; p > 0.001) were predictive factors associated with in-hospital death. In sub-group analysis according to the history of diabetes, hyperglycaemia at admission was a predictor for death only in patients without diabetes (HR = 3.12; 1.72–5.68; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Conclusion: In ACS patients and particularly those without a history of diabetes, admission acute hyperglycaemia was a potentially threatening condition. Appropriate management, follow up and screening for glucose metabolism disorders should be implemented in these patients.

Systemic hypertension is a rapidly growing epidemic in Africa. The role of socioeconomic status on blood pressure control has not been well studied in this part of the world. We, therefore, aimed to quantify the association of socioeconomic status both at the individual and at the country level with blood pressure control in Sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in urban clinics of 12 countries, both low income and middle income, in Sub-Saharan Africa. Standardized blood pressure measures were made among the hypertensive patients attending the clinics. Blood pressure control was defined as blood pressure P for trend, P for trend, 0.03) and not in middle-income countries ( P for trend, 0.26). In low-income countries, the odds of uncontrolled hypertension increased 1.37-fold (odds ratio, 1.37 [0.99–1.90]) and 1.88-fold (odds ratio, 1.88 [1.10–3.21]) in patients with middle and low individual wealth as compared with high individual wealth. Similarly, the grade of hypertension increased progressively with decreasing level of individual patient wealth ( P for trend

Introduction les syndromes coronariens aigus (SCA) sont en progression en Afrique sub-saharienne. Les données angio-coronarographiques sont rares. L'objectif de cette étude était d'analyser les lésions coronaires observées dans les syndromes coronariens aigus (SCA) à Abidjan. Méthodes étude transversale, du 1er janvier 2010 au 31 décembre 2014. Tous les patients admis pour SCA et ayant bénéficié d'une coronarographie à l'Institut de cardiologie d'Abidjan pendant la période d'étude ont été inclus. Deux cent cinquante-six patients ont été sélectionnés. Nous avons analysé et comparé les lésions coronaires chez les patients ayant présenté un SCA avec sus décalage persistant du segment ST (SCA ST+) et ceux ayant présenté SCA sans sus décalage du segment ST (SCA ST-). Résultats l'âge moyen des patients était de 53,2 ± 10,8 ans. Il existait une prédominance masculine avec un sex-ratio de 6,1. Le taux de coronarographies anormales était significativement plus élevé dans les SCA ST+ (95,4% et 64,2% respectivement, p < 0,001). Trois cent quatre lésions coronaires ont été observées dans les SCA ST+ contre 43 dans les SCA ST- . Les lésions sténosantes étaient majoritairement monotronculaires (45,3%) dans les SCA ST+ et bi ou tri tronculaires dans les SCA ST- (68,0%). Les lésions de type B1 étaient plus fréquentes dans les SCA ST- (62,8% versus 36,5%, p = 0,002). Les lésions les plus complexes de type C étaient plus fréquentes dans les SCA ST+ (17,8%), sans différence significative. La majorité des patients avait un score SYNTAX inférieur à 22 quel que soit le type de SCA (87,4% dans les SCA ST+ et 90,1% dans les SCA ST-). Conclusion les lésions coronaires dans les SCA sont majoritairement monotronculaires dans les SCA ST+ et plus diffuses dans les SCA ST- mais avec une proportion plus importante de coronaires angiographiquement normales. La prise en charge de ces lésions relève dans la majorité des cas de l'angioplastie coronaire.

Background The growing menace of poor quality and falsified drugs constitutes a major hazard, compromising healthcare and patient outcomes. Efforts to assess drug standards worldwide have almost exclusively focused on anti-microbial drugs; with no study to date on cardiovascular drugs. Our study aims to assess quality of seven routinely used cardiovascular medications (anticoagulants, antihypertensives and statins) in ten Sub-Saharan African countries. Methods Drugs were prospectively collected using standardized methods between 2012 and 2014 from licensed (random pharmacies) and unlicensed (street-markets) places of sale in Africa. We developed a validated reversed-phase liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method to accurately quantify the active ingredient in a certified public laboratory. Three quality categories were defined based on the ratio of the measured to the expected dosage of the active ingredient: A (good quality): 95% to 105%, B (low quality): 85 to 94.99% or 105.01 to 115%, C (very low quality): 115%. Results All expected medicines (n=3468 samples) were collected in Benin, Burkina-Faso, Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Niger, Togo and Senegal. Out of the 1530 samples randomly tested, poor quality (types B and C) was identified in 249 (16.3%) samples. The prevalence of poor quality was significantly increased in certain specific drugs (amlodipine 29% and captopril 26%), in generic versions (23%) and in drugs produced in Asia (35%). The proportion of poor quality reached 50% when drugs produced in Asia were sold in street-markets. Conclusion In this first study assessing the quality of cardiovascular drugs in Africa, we found a significant proportion of poor quality drugs. This requires continued monitoring strategies.

The hyperhemolysis paradigm that describes overlapping "hyperhemolytic-endothelial dysfunction" and "high hemoglobin-hyperviscous" subphenotypes of sickle cell disease (SCD) patients is based on North American studies. We performed a transversal study nested in the CADRE cohort to analyze the association between steady-state hemolysis and vascular complications of SCD among sub-Saharan African patients. In Mali, Cameroon, and Ivory Coast, 2407 SCD patients (1751 SS or sickle β-zero-thalassemia [Sβ0], 495 SC, and 161 sickle β+-thalassemia [Sβ+]), aged 3 years old and over, were included at steady state. Relative hemolytic intensity was estimated from a composite index derived from principal component analysis, which included bilirubin levels or clinical icterus, and lactate dehydrogenase levels. We assessed vascular complications (elevated tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity [TRV], microalbuminuria, leg ulcers, priapism, stroke, and osteonecrosis) by clinical examination, laboratory tests, and echocardiography. After adjustment for age, sex, country, and SCD phenotype, a low hemoglobin level was significantly associated with TRV and microalbuminuria in the whole population and with leg ulcers in SS-Sβ0 adults. A high hemolysis index was associated with microalbuminuria in the whole population and with elevated TRV, microalbuminuria, and leg ulcers in SS-Sβ0 adults, but these associations were no longer significant after adjustment for hemoglobin level. In conclusion, severe anemia at steady state in SCD patients living in West and Central Africa is associated with elevated TRV, microalbuminuria, and leg ulcers, but these vascular complications are not independently associated with indirect markers of increased hemolysis. Other mechanisms leading to anemia, including malnutrition and infectious diseases, may also play a role in the development of SCD vasculopathy.

Background— Cardiogenic unilateral pulmonary edema (UPE) is a rare entity, frequently leading to initial misdiagnosis. We sought to assess the prevalence of UPE and to determine its impact on prognosis compared with bilateral pulmonary edema. Methods and Results— We studied the characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to our institution for cardiogenic pulmonary edema during an 8-year period. The study population included 869 consecutive patients. The prevalence of UPE was 2.1%: 16 right-sided UPE (89%) and 2 left-sided UPE (11%). In patients with UPE, blood pressure was significantly lower ( P ≤0.01), whereas noninvasive or invasive ventilation and catecholamines were used more frequently ( P =0.0004 and P P P P =0.003, respectively). In-hospital mortality was 9%: 39% for UPE versus 8% for bilateral pulmonary edema (odds ratio, 6.9; 95% confidence interval, 2.6 to 18; P P =0.021 for model A; and adjusted odds ratio, 6.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 41; P =0.037 for model B). Conclusions— Unilateral pulmonary edema represented 2.1% of cardiogenic pulmonary edema in our study, usually appeared as an opacity involving the right lung, and was always associated with severe mitral regurgitation. Unilateral pulmonary edema is related to an independent increased risk of mortality and should be promptly recognized to avoid delays in treatment.

Summary Background Several patterns of Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) have been described recently. Aims To assess the prevalence and characteristics of an apical-sparing variant of TTC. Methods This study included consecutive patients admitted to our catheterization laboratory for suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). All patients underwent coronary and left ventricular angiography systematically if no significant coronary lesions were found. Results Among 2893 patients with a suspected ACS, 38 had confirmed TTC. Nine patients presented with the apical-sparing variant, resulting in a 24% prevalence in our TTC population. At admission, mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly higher in patients with apical-sparing TTC (45 ± 4% vs 35 ± 7%, p = 0.01). Patients with classic TTC were significantly older (74 ± 10 years vs 63 ± 14 years, p = 0.01) and had a significantly higher mean heart rate and New York Heart Association functional class ( p = 0.04 and p = 0.002, respectively). Surgical or disease-related stress was found more frequently among patients with the apical-sparing variant ( p = 0.02). At day 7, mean LVEF was significantly higher in patients with apical-sparing TTC (55 ± 6% vs 48 ± 6%, p = 0.04). At 1-month and 1-year follow-up, no significant difference in LVEF was observed between the two patterns of TTC ( p = 0.60 and p = 0.46, respectively). Conclusions The apical-sparing variant of TTC is not rare and differs in several ways from the classic pattern of TTC. Physicians should be aware of and recognize this partial pattern of TTC.

Background: Although a blood genetic disease, sickle cell disease (SCD) leads to a chronic vasculopathy with multiple organ involvement. We assessed arterial stiffness in SCD patients and looked for associations between arterial stiffness and SCD-related vascular complications. Methods: The CADRE (Coeur Artères et Drepanocytose, ie, Heart Arteries and Sickle Cell Disease) study prospectively recruited pediatric and adult SCD patients and healthy controls in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Mali, and Senegal. Patients underwent clinical examination, routine laboratory tests (complete blood count, serum creatinine level), urine albumin/creatinine ratio measure, and a measure of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) and augmentation index (AI) at a steady state. The clinical and biological correlates of cf-PWV and AI were investigated by using a multivariable multilevel linear regression analysis with individuals nested in families further nested in countries. Results: Included were 3627 patients with SCD and 943 controls. Mean cf-PWV was lower in SCD patients (7.5±2.0 m/s) than in controls (9.1±2.4 m/s, P 0 than in SC-Sβ + phenotypes. AI, corrected for heart rate, increased more rapidly with age in SCD patients and was higher in SCD than in control adults. cf-PWV and AI were independently associated with age, sex, height, heart rate, mean blood pressure, hemoglobin level, country, and hemoglobin phenotype. After adjustment for these correlates, cf-PWV and AI were associated with the glomerular filtration rate and osteonecrosis. AI was also associated with stroke, pulmonary hypertension, and priapism, and cf-PWV was associated with microalbuminuria. Conclusions: PWV and AI are deeply modified in SCD patients in comparison with healthy controls. These changes are independently associated with a lower blood pressure and a higher heart rate but also with the hemoglobin phenotype. Moreover, PWV and AI are associated with several SCD clinical complications. Their prognostic value will be assessed at follow-up of the patients.

Summary Background Whereas the coronary artery disease death rate has declined in high-income countries, the incidence of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, where their management remains a challenge. Aim To propose a consensus statement to optimize management of ACS in sub-Saharan Africa on the basis of realistic considerations. Methods The AFRICARDIO-2 conference (Yamoussoukro, May 2015) reviewed the ongoing features of ACS in 10 sub-Saharan countries (Benin, Burkina-Faso, Congo-Brazzaville, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo), and analysed whether improvements in strategies and policies may be expected using readily available healthcare facilities. Results The outcome of patients with ACS is affected by clearly identified factors, including: delay to reaching first medical contact, achieving effective hospital transportation, increased time from symptom onset to reperfusion therapy, limited primary emergency facilities (especially in rural areas) and emergency medical service (EMS) prehospital management, and hence limited numbers of patients eligible for myocardial reperfusion (thrombolytic therapy and/or percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]). With only five catheterization laboratories in the 10 participating countries, PCI rates are very low. However, in recent years, catheterization laboratories have been built in referral cardiology departments in large African towns (Abidjan and Dakar). Improvements in patient care and outcomes should target limited but selected objectives: increasing awareness and recognition of ACS symptoms; education of rural-based healthcare professionals; and developing and managing a network between first-line healthcare facilities in rural areas or small cities, emergency rooms in larger towns, the EMS, hospital-based cardiology departments and catheterization laboratories. Conclusion Faced with the increasing prevalence of ACS in sub-Saharan Africa, healthcare policies should be developed to overcome the multiple shortcomings blunting optimal management. European and/or North American management guidelines should be adapted to African specificities. Our consensus statement aims to optimize patient management on the basis of realistic considerations, given the healthcare facilities, organizations and few cardiology teams that are available.

Elderly patients are underrepresented in randomized trials evaluating strategies of early coronary revascularization in acute myocardial infarction (MI), whereas in real life octogenarians represent the fastest-growing segment of our population. We sought to describe the characteristics and outcome of patientsor = 80 years referred to a catheterization laboratory for MI.We studied 1687 consecutive patients referred to our cath-laboratory for MI, divided into 2 groups: group 1 patients agedor =80 years (n=152) and group 2 (80 years, [n=1535]). Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and mortality were studied.Cardiogenic shock and three-vessel disease were more frequent in the patientsor =80 years (p0.0001). Angiographic success of percutaneous coronary interventions was high in elderly patients (89.5%), but was significantly lower as compared to group 2 (p0.0001). In-hospital mortality was 18% in group 1 versus 5.5% in group 2 (p0.0001). No patient from group 1 presenting anterior MI with cardiogenic shock survived. The rate of mortality in group 1 between the end of hospitalization and one year following MI was only 4% (versus 3% in group 2, p=0.58). Long-term prognosis of elderly patients was similar as compared to expected survival of subjectsor =80 years.This study demonstrates that the angiographic characteristics of patientsor =80 years are significantly different, associated with an initial increased risk of mortality, and that prognosis of MI is excellent once the acute phase has passed.