Baseline characteristics of 2153 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) admitted over a three month period to 20 adjacent hospitals. The population was dichotomised to indicate patients who would be included (⩽ 74 years) or excluded (> 74 years) from the 30 day mortality performance indicator outlined by the UK national service framework
| Baseline characteristics | Total population (n=2153) | ⩽74 years (n=1220; 56.7%) | >74 years (n=933; 43.3%) |
| Female (%) | 39.4 | 28.6 | 53.6 |
| Hypertensive (%) | 29.1 | 29.3 | 29.0 |
| Diabetic (%) | 13.0 | 12.3 | 13.8 |
| Current smokers (%) | 33.6 | 43.3 | 18.8 |
| Total 30 day mortality (%) | 24.4 | 14.0 | 37.9 |
| Anterior acute MI (%) | 35.8 | 29.9 | 40.2 |
| Received thrombolysis (%) | 42.5 | 50.7 | 31.0 |