Between October, 1985 and June, 1987, 125 patients aged 70 years or more were admitted to the Cardiology Department of Purpan Hospital, Toulouse for unstable angina pectoris. 107 of these patients have been followed up, i.e.: 76 men and 31 women aged from 70 to 85 years (mean 74.5 +/- 3.2 years). 49 patients (46 p. 100) had angina at rest of the intermediate syndrome type; 46 (43 p. 100) had rapidly progressive effort angina, and 12 (11 p. 100) had effort angina de novo. The patients' general condition was preserved in 85 p. 100 of the cases and altered in 15 p. 100. ECG was normal in only 10 p. 100 of the patients; it showed signs of established ischaemia in 70 p. 100 of the cases and sequelae of infarction in 23 p. 100. The mean cardiothoracic ration was 49.9 +/- 4.8 p. 100. The ejection fraction was 62 +/- 14.6 p. 100, the end-diastolic volume 86.9 +/- 32.2 ml/m2 and the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure 15.8 +/- 7.2 mmHg. 69 patients (64.5 p. 100) had calcifications in their coronary arteries. At coronary arteriography 21 patients (19.6 p. 100) showed stenosis of the main stem, 11 patients (10.3 p. 100) had a single vessel disease, 28 (26.2 p. 100) a two-vessel disease and 47 (43.9 p. 100) a three-vessel disease. Treatment was medical in 41 patients (38.3 p. 100) and surgical in 44 patients (41.12 p. 100); transluminal coronary angioplasty (TCA) was performed in 23 patients (21.5 p. 100).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)