Between January 1978 and December 1990, 3659 autopsies were performed in our Institution, of which 106 of the patients were > 80 years old. Of these patients, 55 (51.88%) were male and 51 (48.11%) female, and the mean age was 83.66 (80 to 93) years old. The main symptoms presented prior to death were: angina in 40.56%, dyspnea in 25.47%%, and syncope in 8.49% of the patients. In 47.16% the symptoms had begun more than six months before. The systems related to the cause of death were found to be: cardiovascular in 74.52%, respiratory in 10.37%, digestive in 9.43%, nervous in 1.88%, urinary in 1.88% and others in 1.88%. Among the cardiovascular deaths: 56.96% were due to coronary artery disease, 12.65% due to myocardiopathy, 10.12% due to thoracic aortic aneurysm and 8.86% were atributed to arrythmias. It was considered that: the cardiovascular system was the major determinant of death in 74.52%, coronary disease was responsible for 56.96% of the cardiovascular deaths, standard revascularization in this group has a mortality rate of 8.5% and that primary angioplasty has had a success rate of 93.2%. It was therefore concluded that the patients of at least 80 years old should be maintained near their physician or the time between their medical check-up be reduced in order to significantly improve their quality and expectancy of life.
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