Table 1.

Baseline patient characteristics

Characteristic	N=21 024
Age and gender
Mean age years (95% CI)	62.0 (61.8, 62.1)
N (%) of male patients	8790 (42.0)
N (%) of patients over 65 years	7608 (36.2)
N (%) of male patients who were >65 years	2678 (30.5)
N (%) of female patients who were >65 years	4932 (40.3)
Severity of hypertension at diagnosis*	N=14 694
Mean SBP mmHg (95% CI)	172.7 (172.3, 173.1)
Mean DBP mmHg (95% CI)	98.4 (98.2, 98.6)
N (%) normal (SBP ≤ 139 DBP ≤ 89)	525 (3.6)
N (%) mild (SBP ≥ 140 ≤ 159 DBP ≥ 90 ≤ 99)	1943 (13.2)
N (%) moderate (SBP ≥ 160 ≤ 199 DBP ≥ 100 ≤ 109)	7738 (52.7)
N (%) severe (SBP ≥ 200 ≥ 110)	4488 (30.5)
Comorbidities	N=21 024
N (%) asthma	1776 (8.4)
N (%) diabetes mellitus	1258 (6.0)
N (%) angina	1538 (7.3)
N (%) heart failure	505 (2.4)
N (%) COPD	423 (2.0)
N (%) history of MI	725 (3.4)

CI=confidence interval; COPD=chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;

MI=myocardial infarction

^*Blood pressure severity defined by highest systolic (SBP) or diastolic (DBP) according to 1999 guidelines for the management of hypertension