| Age, years |
83 (±9) |
82 (±8) |
0.007 |
| African American |
73 (17%) |
47 (22%) |
0.177 |
| Female |
327 (77%) |
159 (73%) |
0.268 |
| Past medical history |
|
|
|
| Heart failure |
316 (74%) |
172 (79%) |
0.204 |
| Coronary artery disease |
175 (41%) |
116 (53%) |
0.004 |
| Myocardial infarction |
65 (15%) |
52 (24%) |
0.008 |
| Angina pectoris |
32 (8%) |
27 (12%) |
0.043 |
| Stroke |
158 (37%) |
92 (42%) |
0.216 |
| Hypertension |
286 (67%) |
156 (71%) |
0.271 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
152 (36%) |
80 (37%) |
0.815 |
| Diabetes mellitus |
180 (42%) |
98 (45%) |
0.528 |
| Dementia |
208 (49%) |
90 (41%) |
0.066 |
| Signs and symptoms |
|
|
|
| Pulse, per minute |
92 (±22) |
93 (±26) |
0.756 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg |
141 (±32) |
143 (±33) |
0.350 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg |
73 (±19) |
76 (±22) |
0.061 |
| Peripheral edema |
262 (61%) |
150 (69%) |
0.074 |
| Preadmission medications |
|
|
|
| Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and/or angiotensin receptor blockers |
150 (35%) |
83 (38%) |
0.488 |
| Beta-blockers |
68 (16%) |
48 (22%) |
0.060 |
| Diuretics |
257 (60%) |
159 (73%) |
0.002 |
| Digoxin |
141 (33%) |
90 (41%) |
0.043 |
| Admission diagnostic tests and procedures |
|
|
|
| Serum sodium, mEq/L |
139 (±7) |
138 (±6) |
0.141 |
| Serum potassium, mEq/L |
4.50 (±0.76) |
4.45 (±0.74) |
0.474 |
| Serum creatinine, mEq/L |
1.50 (±0.93) |
1.61 (±1.08) |
0.148 |
| Blood urea nitrogen, mg/dL |
36 (±24) |
37 (±21) |
0.833 |
| Pulmonary edema by chest x-ray |
351 (82%) |
179 (82%) |
0.884 |
| Atrial fibrillation by electrocardiography |
110 (26%) |
83 (38%) |
0.001 |
| Left bundle branch block by electrocardiography |
37 (9%) |
26 (12%) |
0.193 |
| Hospital bed size |
|
|
|
| <100 |
142 (33%) |
40 (18%) |
<0.001 |
| 100-299 |
162 (38%) |
75 (34%) |
| 300-499 |
79 (19%) |
54 (25%) |
| >500 |
44 (10%) |
50 (23%) |
| Hospital owner |
|
|
|
| Nonprofit |
149 (35%) |
75 (34%) |
0.967 |
| Proprietary |
109 (26%) |
55 (25%) |
| Other |
169 (40%) |
89 (41%) |
| Rural hospital location |
200 (47%) |
47 (22%) |
<0.001 |
| Accredited hospital |
362 (85%) |
197 (90%) |
0.068 |
