Table 1

 Baseline characteristics according to GRACE risk score for patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome

Unstable angina/NSTEMISTEMI
Low riskMedium riskHigh riskp ValueLow riskMedium riskHigh riskp Value
ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; CABG, coronary artery bypass grafting; CHF, congestive heart failure; GRACE, Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events; MI, myocardial infarction; NSTEMI, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; PVD, peripheral vascular disease; SBP, systolic blood pressure; STEMI, ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.
Number394454405704411926232359
Men2755 (70%)3637 (67%)3431 (61%)<0.0013318 (81%)1773 (68%)1302 (56%)<0.001
Mean age (years)546575<0.001556977<0.001
Medical history
Angina2463 (63%)3707 (69%)3755 (66%)<0.0011592 (39%)1084 (42%)1085 (46%)<0.001
Smoker, current/former2578 (66%)3195 (59%)2826 (50%)<0.0013021 (74%)1527 (59%)1066 (46%)<0.001
Diabetes907 (23%)1443 (27%)1664 (29%)<0.001664 (16%)598 (23%)661 (28%)<0.001
Prior MI1189 (30%)1934 (36%)2350 (41%)<0.001673 (16%)544 (21%)639 (27%)<0.001
CHF166 (4.2%)441 (8.2%)1195 (21%)<0.00175 (2.0%)139 (5.3%)362 (16%)<0.001
Prior PCI967 (25%)1453 (27%)1281 (23%)<0.001433 (11%)271 (10%)246 (11%)0.98
Prior CABG549 (14%)1051 (19%)1195 (21%)<0.001175 (4.3%)169 (6.5%)213 (9.1%)<0.001
PVD252 (6.4%)598 (11%)837 (15%)<0.001189 (4.6%)212 (8.2%)246 (11%)<0.001
Hypertension2375 (61%)3424 (63%)3787 (67%)<0.0011889 (46%)1503 (58%)1408 (60%)<0.001
Atrial fibrillation120 (3.1%)355 (6.6%)887 (16%)<0.00176 (1.9%)146 (5.6%)278 (12%)<0.001
Prior drugs
Aspirin1757 (45%)2960 (54%)3077 (54%)<0.001790 (19%)699 (27%)756 (32%)<0.001
ACE inhibitor1005 (26%)1627 (30%)1943 (34%)<0.001592 (14%)512 (20%)524 (22%)<0.001
Oral β blocker1440 (37%)2226 (41%)2272 (40%)<0.001728 (18%)545 (21%)524 (22%)<0.001
Statin1162 (30%)1877 (35%)1795 (32%)<0.001555 (14%)402 (15%)340 (15%)0.099
Presentation characteristics
Mean pulse (beats/min)757584<0.001757790<0.001
Mean SBP (mm Hg)156145134<0.001146137125<0.001
Mean initial creatinine (μmol/l)88.497.2124<0.00188.497.2124<0.001
Killip class
    I3889 (98.6%)5104 (93.8%)3922 (69%)<0.0014005 (97%)2302 (88%)1174 (50%)<0.001
    II54 (1.4%)315 (5.8%)1408 (25%)113 (3.0%)300 (11.4%)762 (32%)
    III (pulmonary oedema)020 (0.4%)320 (6.0%)019 (0.7%)282 (12%)
    IV (cardiogenic shock)01 (0%)54 (1.0%)02 (0.1%)141 (6.0%)
Cardiac arrest06 (0.1%)83 (1.5%)<0.00110 (0.2%)41 (1.6%)183 (7.8%)<0.001
Positive initial cardiac markers900 (23%)1611 (30%)2741 (48%)<0.0011602 (39%)1547 (59%)1701 (72%)<0.001