Characteristics of the patients according to year of survey. Figures are percentages unless otherwise stated
| 1996 | 1998 | |
| Hospitals (n) | 37 | 37 |
| Patients (n) | 1872 | 1368 |
| Metropolitan hospital | 60 | 58 |
| Age (y) | ||
| <65 | 36 | 37 |
| 65–74 | 31 | 30 |
| 75+ | 33 | 33 |
| Male | 59 | 60 |
| Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander | 2 | 1 |
| Insurance classification | ||
| Non-chargeable | 71 | 72 |
| Chargeable | 20 | 18 |
| Veterans Affairs chargeable | 9 | 10 |
| Median (quartiles) length of hospital stay (days) | 4 (2, 6) | 4 (2, 6) |
| Past history | ||
| AMI | 42 | 40 |
| Angina | 35 | 35 |
| No past history | 23 | 25 |
| Diabetes | 14 | 18 |
| Recurrent chest pain after admission | 36 | 43 |
| Developed acute myocardial infarction (n) | 0.7 (12) | 1.5 (20) |
| Heart failure | 38 | 38 |
| Severe1-150 | 59 | 64 |
| Died in hospital (n) | 0.5 (9) | 0.5 (7) |
| Transferred for angiography or revascularisation | 17 | 18 |
| Referred for follow up | ||
| GP | 42 | 38 |
| Physician | 19 | 15 |
| Cardiologist | 33 | 32 |
↵1-150 Severity defined as presence of heart failure, recurrent chest pain or development of acute myocardial infarction.