Table 1 Characteristics of the cohort studied, 892 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal patients discharged from hospital with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, Western Australia 2002–2004

Males %

472 (70)

132 (60)

<0.01

Age - mean (SD)

66.4 (9.7)

52.4 (11.4)

<0.001

  median (tertile cut points)

68 (63, 73)

52 (47, 57)

Rural or remote dwelling n (%)

154 (23)

114 (52)

<0.001

On admission

Systolic Blood Pressure – median (mmHg)

140

135

Heart Rate - median (beats per minute)

75

86

ST-segment deviation on ECG n (%)

199 (30)

77 (35)

0.15

Elevated initial biomarkers n (%)

241 (36)

125 (57)

<0.001

  AMI

172 (64)

99 (79)

  Unstable angina

69 (17)

26 (27)

Killip class n (%)

1

533 (79)

185 (84)

2

92 (14)

22 (10)

3

44 (6)

13 (6)

4

3 (<1)

0

AMI (principal discharge diagnosis)

277 (41)

128 (58)

p < 0.001

STEMI AHA criteria*

102 (37)

30 (24)

Reperfusion therapy – (N)

64

20

Reperfusion therapy for STEMI

44 (69)

11 (55)

  Thrombolysis (% of reperfusion)

26 (59)

9 (82)

  Primary PCI (% of reperfusion)

18 (41)

2 (8)

Reperfusion - ECG with other codes

20 (31)

9 (45)

  Thrombolysis

12 (60)

9 (100)

  Primary PCI

8 (40)

0

History (within 5 years) n (%)

AMI

210 (31)

65 (30)

0.86

Heart failure

69 (10)

11 (5)

<0.01

Coronary artery disease

372 (55)

108 (49)

0.15

Chronic renal failure

14 (9)

34 (16)

0.04

Diabetes

228 (34)

124 (56)

<0.001

   < 55 years

22 (26)

64 (49)

0.001

   ≥ 55 years

206 (35)

60 (67)

<0.001

In-hospital n (% )

Heart failure

82 (13)

11 (5)

<0.01

Arrhythmia

80 (12)

8 (4)

<0.001

PCI (excluding primary PCI)

149 (23)

36 (20)

0.22

CABG within 28 days

23 (4)

7 (3)

0.99