Table 1 Baseline characteristics of matched population

n

1368

6840

706

529

Median age, years (IQR)

71.4 (61.2–79.8)

71.4 (61.2–79.8)

*

70.7 (61.2–78.7)

73.4 (62.3–81.3)

<  0.01

Male

648 (47.3%)

3240 (47.3%)

*

351 (49.7%)

241 (45.6%)

0.150

Diabetes

115 (8.4%)

368 (5.4%)

<  0.01

59 (8.4%)

50 (9.5%)

0.502

Heart failure

67 (4.9%)

168 (2.5%)

<  0.01

34 (4.8%)

29 (5.5%)

0.599

Hypertension

391 (28.6%)

1188 (17.4%)

<  0.01

183 (25.9%)

160 (30.2%)

0.093

Stroke/TE/TIA

257 (18.8%)

395 (5.8%)

<  0.01

161 (22.8%)

62 (11.7%)

<  0.01

Vascular disease

148 (10.8%)

416 (6.1%)

<  0.01

92 (13%)

45 (8.5%)

0.012

Acetylsalicylic acid

514 (37.6%)

1236 (18.1%)

<  0.01

277 (39.2%)

190 (35.9%)

0.234

Antiadrenergic

24 (1.8%)

61 (0.9%)

<  0.01

10 (1.4%)

13 (2.5%)

0.181

Beta blockers

234 (17.1%)

753 (11%)

<  0.01

113 (16%)

94 (17.8%)

0.412

Calcium channel blockers

279 (20.4%)

831 (12.1%)

<  0.01

138 (19.5%)

107 (20.2%)

0.767

Clopidogrel

22 (1.6%)

55 (0.8%)

<  0.01

18 (2.5%)

3 (0.6%)

<  0.01

Loop diuretics

185 (13.5%)

590 (8.6%)

<  0.01

97 (13.7%)

77 (14.6%)

0.683

NSAID

235 (17.2%)

915 (13.4%)

<  0.01

125 (17.7%)

84 (15.9%)

0.397

Non-loop diuretics

405 (29.6%)

1347 (19.7%)

<  0.01

182 (25.8%)

170 (32.1%)

0.014

Dipyridamole

79 (5.8%)

108 (1.6%)

<  0.01

54 (7.6%)

16 (3%)

<  0.01