Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Total patients n=422 |
| Demographics | |
| Age (mean, SD) | 69.7±6.5 |
| Male (n, %) | 186 (44.1) |
| Low education (n, %) | 53 (12.6) |
| Having a partner (n, %) | 327 (77.5) |
| Lifestyle | |
| Current smoker (n, %) | 54 (12.8) |
| Regular alcohol use (n, %)* | 135 (32.0) |
| Recommended physical exercise (n, %)† | 68 (16.1) |
| Clinical characteristics and risk factors | |
| Previous MI (n, %) | 19 (4.5) |
| Peripheral artery disease (n, %) | 18 (4.3) |
| Previous TIA/stroke (n, %) | 36 (8.5) |
| Diabetes (n, %) | 39 (9.2) |
| BMI (mean, SD)‡ | 28±4.6 |
| BNP (median, IQR)§ | 10(6–18) |
| Total cholesterol (mean, SD)¶ | 5.1±1.0 |
| LDL (mean, SD) | 3.1±0.9 |
| SBP (mean, SD) | 149±20.2 |
| SBP >140 (n, %) | 281 (66.6) |
| SBP >150 (n, %) | 185 (43.8) |
| DBP (mean, SD) | 81.8±10.8 |
| DBP >90 (n, %) | 86 (20.4) |
| Blood pressure on target (n, %)** | 175 (41.5) |
| Years of hypertension (median, IQR)¶ | 10(4–15) |
Values for categorical variables are given as number (percentage); values for continuous variables are given as mean±SD or median (IQR).
*Defined as ≥2 glasses of alcohol per day on average.
†Defined as ≥30 min exercise per day, at least five 5 days/week.
‡n=418.
§n=400.
¶n=407 due to missing data.
**On-target systolic blood pressure defined as <140 mm Hg for persons aged less than 70 years and <150 mm Hg for persons aged 70 years or more.
BMI, body mass index; BNP, brain natriuretic peptide; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; MI, myocardial infarction; SBP, systolic blood pressure; TIA, transient ischaemic attack.