Polyvascular Disease and Long-Term Cardiovascular Outcomes in Older Patients With Non–ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Background— The impact of polyvascular disease (peripheral arterial disease [PAD] and cerebrovascular disease [CVD]) on long-term cardiovascular outcomes among older patients with acute myocardial infarction has not been well studied. Methods and Results— Patients with non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction aged ≥65 years from the CRUSADE (Can Rapid Risk Stratification of Unstable Angina Patients Suppress Adverse Outcomes with Early Implementation of the ACC/AHA Guidelines) registry who survived to hospital discharge were linked to longitudinal data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (n=34 205). All patients were presumed to have coronary artery disease (CAD) and were classified into the following 4 groups: 10.7% with prior CVD (CAD+CVD group); 11.5% with prior PAD (CAD+PAD); 3.1% with prior PAD and CVD (CAD+PAD+CVD); and 74.7% with no polyvascular disease (CAD alone). Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to examine the hazard of long-term mortality and composite of death or readmission for myocardial infarction or stroke (median follow-up, 35 months; interquartile range, 17–49 months). Compared with the CAD alone group, patients with polyvascular disease had greater comorbidities, were less likely to undergo revascularization, and received less often recommended discharge interventions. Three-year mortality rates increased with number of arterial bed involvement as follows: 33% for CAD alone, 49% for CAD+PAD, 52% for CAD+CVD, and 59% for CAD+PAD+CVD. Relative to the CAD alone group, patients with all 3 arterial beds involved had the highest risk of long-term mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [95% CI], 1.49 [1.38–1.61]; CAD+CVD, 1.38 [1.31–1.44]; CAD+PAD, 1.29 [1.23–1.35]). Similarly, the risk of long-term composite ischemic events was highest among patients in the CAD+PAD+CVD group. Conclusions— Among older patients with non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, those with polyvascular disease have substantially higher long-term risk for recurrent events or death. Future studies targeting greater adherence to secondary prevention strategies and novel therapies are needed to help to reduce long-term cardiovascular events in this vulnerable population.