Baseline characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes and control patients without diabetes mellitus (n=101 020)
| Characteristic | Type 2 diabetes (n=53 585) | Matched controls (n=47 435) |
| Male | 28 908 (54%) | 24 764 (52%) |
| Age, by category | ||
| 40–64 years | 24 912 (46%) | 20 331 (43%) |
| 65–74 years | 15 793 (30%) | 14 555 (31%) |
| 75+ years | 12 880 (24%) | 12 549 (26%) |
| Body mass index | ||
| Underweight (<20 kg/m2) | 915 (2%) | 2399 (5%) |
| Normal (20–25 kg/m2) | 8764 (16%) | 15 012 (32%) |
| Overweight (25–30 kg/m2) | 19 360 (36%) | 16 209 (34%) |
| Obese (>30 kg/m2) | 22 175 (41%) | 7292 (15%) |
| Unknown | 2371 (4%) | 6523 (14%) |
| Smoking status | ||
| Non smoker | 23 031 (43%) | 21 156 (45%) |
| Past smoker | 16 135 (30%) | 9738 (21%) |
| Smoker | 9488 (18%) | 9173 (19%) |
| Unknown | 4931 (9%) | 7368 (16%) |
| History of: | ||
| Heart failure | 3068 (6%) | 1539 (3%) |
| Stable angina pectoris | 7333 (14%) | 4174 (9%) |
| Coronary heart disease | 8407 (16%) | 4480 (9%) |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 3720 (7%) | 1248 (3%) |
| Coronary revascularisation | 1797 (3%) | 842 (2%) |
| Hypertension | 35 325 (66%) | 19 347 (41%) |
| Renal impairment | 1051 (2%) | 486 (1%) |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 2707 (5%) | 1632 (3%) |
| Recent prescribing | ||
| Organic nitrates | 5840 (11%) | 2585 (5%) |
| Beta blockers | 11 786 (22%) | 6137 (13%) |
| Calcium channel blockers | 11 774 (22%) | 5216 (11%) |
| Diuretics | 18 134 (34%) | 9640 (20%) |
| Antiplatelets | 16 980 (32%) | 7021 (15%) |
| ACE inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers | 18 748 (35%) | 5623 (12%) |
| Statins or fibrates | 17 797 (33%) | 4513 (10%) |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 22 415 (42%) | 12 400 (26%) |