At baseline, age, sex, body weight, BMI, heart rate, smoking history, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, plasma NT-proBNP levels, LV ejection fraction, prior diabetes, COPD, CHD/angina, peripheral artery disease, use of many “cardiovascular” medications (including also the use of Angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE]-inhibitors, sartans, beta-blockers, furosemide, amiodarone, and anticoagulants), and hospital length of stay did not differ significantly between the 2 groups of patients. This evidence concerns the gene ACE and peripheral arterial disease.