Characteristics of the study patients (n=371)
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 75.5 (11.1) |
| Mean (SD) heart rate on admission (beats/min) | 93 (29) |
| Mean (SD) systolic BP on admission (mm Hg) | 147 (30) |
| Mean (SD) Charlson comorbidity index | 2.7 (2.1) |
| Mean (SD) left ventricular ejection fraction (%) (n=172) | 34 (12) |
| Men, n (%) | 194 (52.3%) |
| Living alone, n (%) | 170 (47.5%) |
| Known prior CHF, n (%) | 156 (43.5%) |
| History of revascularisation, n (%) | 67 (18.1%) |
| History of myocardial infarction, n (%) | 126 (34.1%) |
| Known hypertension, n (%) | 204 (55.0%) |
| Known diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 86 (23.2%) |
| Hypotension on admission, n (%) | 21 (5.7%) |
| Hyponatraemia on admission, n (%) | 60 (16.2%) |
| Creatinaemia >265.2 μmol/l on admission, n (%) | 16 (4.4%) |
| Non-sinus cardiac rhythm on admission, n (%) | 131 (35.6%) |
| New ST-T changes on admission, n (%) | 179 (52.7%) |
| Admission to an ICU, n (%) | 65 (17.5%) |
| Intubation during the stay, n (%) | 13 (3.5%) |