Table 2.
Patient and admission characteristics of study sample
| Baseline characteristics (pooled data) (n=1788) | n (%)* |
|---|---|
| Age (<75 years) | 1146 (64.1) |
| Gender (male) | 1196 (66.9) |
| Discharge diagnoses (NSTEMI) | 1119 (62.6) |
| Length of hospital stay (days) (mean±SD) | 5±4.97 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | |
| High (≥160) | 552 (30.9) |
| Normal to slightly elevated (81–159) | 1236 (69.1) |
| Low (≤80) | 0 (0) |
| Heart rate (bpm) | |
| Tachycardia (≥110) | 103 (5.8) |
| Normal (51–109) | 1634 (91.4) |
| Bradycardia (≤50) | 51 (2.8) |
| Resuscitation at admission | 33 (1.9) |
| Cardiogenic shock | 7 (0.4) |
| In-hospital heart failure | 103 (5.8) |
| ST deviations on ECG | 810 (45.3) |
| History of coronary artery disease | 252 (14.1) |
| History of peripheral vascular disease | 131 (7.3) |
| Previous (U)A | 432 (24.1) |
| Previous MI | 499 (27.9) |
| Previous PCI | 523 (29.3) |
| Previous CABG | 289 (16.2) |
| MI or PCI/CABG 6 months prior to admission | 125 (7) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 451 (25.2) |
| Hypertension | 936 (52.4) |
| Renal failure | 88 (4.9) |
| Chronic heart failure | 101 (5.7) |
| Hypercholesterolaemia† | 986 (55.1) |
| Obesity (BMI>30) | 203 (11.3) |
| Smoking | 427 (23.9) |
| Former smoker | 350 (19.6) |
| Coronary stenosis (≥50%) | 192 (10.8) |
| Positive family history | 618 (34.6) |
| Coronary catheterisation | 1346 (75.3) |
| Management strategy | |
| Pharmacological therapy | 754 (42.2) |
| (scheduled) PCI | 846 (47.3) |
| (scheduled) CABG | 188 (10.5) |
*Data are presented in n (%), unless stated otherwise.
†Defined as statin use prior to admission, or described in patients history (elevated cholesterol levels, hyperlipidaemia or hypercholesterolaemia).
BMI, body mass index; CABG, coronary artery bypass grafting; MI, myocardial infarction; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; (U)A, (unstable)angina.