Table 1 Basal characteristics of the study population
| Variable | Males | Females | p-values |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | 239 | 231 | |
| Age, years (SD) | 77 (3) | 77 (4) | 0.61 |
| History | |||
| Diabetes, n (%) | 85 (35.6) | 68 (29.4) | 0.16 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 173 (72.4) | 184 (79.7) |
Χ2:4.28 P = 0.04 |
| IHD, n (%) | 66 (27.6) | 44 (19.0) |
Χ2:4.81 P = 0.03 |
| Atrial fibrillation, n (%) | 28 (11.7) | 18 (7.8) | 0.15 |
| NYHA I, n (%) | 117 (49.0) | 121 (52.4) | 0.46 |
| NYHA II, n (%) | 73 (30.5) | 64 (27.7) | 0.50 |
| NYHA III, n (%) | 48 (20.1) | 46 (19.9) | 0.96 |
| NYHA IV, n (%) | 0 | 0 | |
| Medication | |||
| Beta blockers, n (%) | 90 (37.7) | 78 (33.8) | 0.38 |
| ACEI/ARB, n (%) | 62 (25.9) | 60 (26.0) | 0.99 |
| Diuretics, n (%) | 77 (32.2) | 95 (41.1) |
Χ2:4.02 P = 0.05 |
| Examinations | |||
| BP systolic, mm Hg, mean (SD) | 146 (23) | 151 (19) | P = 0.34 |
| BP diastolic, mmHg, mean (SD) | 75 (12) | 75 (10) | 0.80 |
| Hb < 120 g/L, n (%) | 18 (7.5) | 33 (14.3) |
Χ2:5.54 P = 0.02 |
| EF < 40%, n (%) | 27 (11.3) | 9 (3.9) |
Χ2:9.10 P = 0.003 |