[Assessment of early results of cardiac surgery in patients over 65 years of age].

The aim of the study was determine the influence of age on the outcome of cardiac surgery and reveal risk factors important for the outcome of cardiac surgery in patients over the age of 65 years. Early results of surgical treatment was analyzed in 1741 cases operated in extracorporeal circulation. The patients were divided into two groups. The study group consisted of 375 patients over 65 years of age, while the control group consisted of 1366 patients younger than 65 years. It was shownfound that higher mortality in the study group was associated with low ejection fraction, urgency of surgery, class III and IV of CCS, and BMI > 26. Mortality in the control group was associated with female sex, elevated serum creatinine, bacterial endocarditis, tobacco smoking, urgency of surgery, class III and IV of CCS. Factors significantly influencing mortality in both groups were compared. Mortality in group A in comparison with group B was influenced by low ejection fraction, urgency of surgery, class III and IV of CCS and tobacco smoking. The EuroSCORE was calculated for both groups. It was shown that the EuroSCORE scale allows assessment of operative risk for patients over 65 years of age. Although mortality and morbidity in cardiac surgery are elevated for patients older than 65 years, the outcome is influenced more by risk factors than by age alone.