Prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients

Abstract

Background: left ventricular hypertrophy has been documented as one of the early manifestations of cardiac involvement in hypertensive disease.

Objectives: to assess the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients attending control programs in health institutions of Boyacá.

Materials and methods: by sequential random sampling, a sample of 1275 patients for whom assessment of blood pressure and electrocardiogram was performed, was assembled. Cornell, Romhilt-ESTest and Rodriguez-Padial criteria were evaluated to determine the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy.

Results: overall prevalence of LVH in the patients studied was 17.9%, with marked differences respect to the village of origin. LVH was found associated with age over 65, female gender, increased body mass index and high levels of systolic and diastolic pressure.

Conclusion: these results suggest the need for increased screening programs and control of blood pressure as well as include training to health workers in assessing suggestive evidence of LVH as electrocardiographic changes and differences in pressure between the two upper limbs