Does ageism affect the management of ischaemic heart disease?

Objectives: To analyse access by age to exercise testing, coronary angiography, revascularisation (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty/stent insertion and coronary artery bypass graft surgery) and receipt of thrombolysis, where indicated, for hospital patients with diagnosed cardiovascular disease.

Method: Retrospective case note analysis, tracking each case backwards and forwards by 12 months from the patient's date of entry to the study. The setting was a district hospital in the eastern part of outer London.

Age- and sex-related bias in the management of heart disease in a district general hospital.

Objective: To investigate the clinical management of heart disease and determine whether there was age- and sex-related bias in the use of investigations and interventions.

Design: Retrospective analysis of individual patient records against criteria of appropriateness based on published guidelines, clinical practice and literature relevant to the 1996-7 study period.

Setting: A single, district general hospital in London, serving a population of 185,000 people.