Newcastle University

The British Heart Foundation older patients with non-ST SEgmeNt elevatIOn MyocaRdial Infarction Randomised Interventional TreAtment Trial

(The BHF SENIOR-RITA Trial)

 

 

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Heart disease, in particular heart artery disease, is the biggest killer in the UK. Over recent years, there have been remarkable improvements in the use of new advanced medications and technologies to treat diseases linked with heart arteries. However, these treatments have primarily been tested in younger patients and we do not have evidence that they also work in older patients.

Several previous research studies suggested that older patients (those aged 75 years and over) are less likely to receive the most advanced medications and procedures. This is particularly true for “coronary angioplasty”, a procedure that clears blockages in the heart arteries using a balloon and a metal scaffold called a “stent”.  This is because doctors are unsure whether in older patients these procedures may cause more harm than the potential benefit seen in younger patients. This is particularly true for individuals who are older and frail.

Frailty in itself might be due to a number of reasons but there are no research studies conducted in frail older patients to guide the correct treatment strategy for a heart attack. It is for this reason that we designed the BHF SENIOR-RITA Trial. SENIOR-RITA will consist of patients who are aged 75 years and over, presenting with a minor heart attack.

 

 

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