Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of 136 patients who achieved peak exercise level.
| Age (yr) | 51 ± 13 | |||
| Range | 24–70 | |||
| Men/women | 89/61 | |||
| Etiology of heart failure | ||||
| CAD | 92 (67%) | |||
| Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy | 53 (39%) | |||
| Valvular disease | 5 (4%) | |||
| Left ventricular ejection fraction (%) | 30 ± 12 | |||
| NYHA functional class (FC) | ||||
| II | 48 (35%) | |||
| III | 57 (42%) | |||
| IV | 31 (23%) | |||
|
| ||||
| Medication (%) | ||||
| ACE inhibitors | Beta-blockers | Diuretics | ||
| FC II | 75 | 30 | 89 | |
| FC III | 88 | 28 | 97 | |
| FC IV | 86 | 17 | 98 | |
Data are expressed as mean value ± SD or number of patients, unless otherwise indicated.