Baseline characteristics of consenting, randomised patients
| Control (n = 110) | Intervention (n = 80) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 76.0 (5.3) | 75.1 (5.1) | NS |
| Male | 57 (51.8) | 44 (55.0) | NS |
| Mean (SD) NYHA functional class | 2.6 (0.7) | 2.6 (0.7) | NS |
| Marital status (single) | 59 (54) | 36 (45) | NS |
| Education (primary) | 71 (70) | 58 (73) | NS |
| Smokers | 20 (18.7) | 11 (13.8) | NS |
| IHD as cause of heart failure | 56 (50.9) | 45 (56.3) | NS |
| Mean (SD) left ventricular EF (%) | 35.7 (12.3) | 31.6 (8.4) | < 0.05 |
| Concomittent diseases | |||
| Previous myocardial infarction | 40 (36.4) | 39 (48.8) | NS |
| Angina pectoris | 45 (40.9) | 35 (43.8) | NS |
| Hypertension | 31 (28.2) | 26 (32.5) | NS |
| Atrial fibrillation | 44 (40.4) | 28 (35.0) | NS |
| Diabetes mellitus | 28 (25.5) | 13 (16.3) | NS |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 6 (5.5) | 3 (3.8) | NS |
| Stroke | 13 (12.5) | 8 (10.1) | NS |
| Treatment | |||
| Diuretics | 79 (71.8) | 58 (72.5) | NS |
| β blockers | 10 (9.1) | 9 (11.3) | NS |
| ACE inhibitors | 30 (27.3) | 12 (15.0) | NS |
| Calcium antagonists | 11 (10.0) | 9 (11.4) | NS |
| Nitrates | 35 (31.9) | 29 (36.3) | NS |
| Digitalis | 38 (34.9) | 20 (25.0) | NS |
Values are n (%) unless otherwise stated.
NYHA, New York Heart Association; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; EF, ejection fraction; ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme.