Blood pressure control and left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive Nigerians
Background : Hypertension is a disease characterized by end-organ complications, leading to high morbidity and mortality in many cases. People with untreated or uncontrolled hypertension often run the risk of developing complications directly associated with the disease. Left ventricular hypertrophy...
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Published in | Annals of African medicine Vol. 8; no. 3 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Published |
Nigeria
Annals of African Medicine Society
03.02.2010
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Background : Hypertension is a disease characterized by end-organ
complications, leading to high morbidity and mortality in many cases.
People with untreated or uncontrolled hypertension often run the risk
of developing complications directly associated with the disease. Left
ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has been shown to be a significant risk
factor for adverse outcomes both in patients with hypertension and in
the general population. We investigated the prevalence and pattern of
LVH in a treated hypertensive population at the University College
Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, using non-hypertensive subjects as control.
Design and Setting : A prospective observational study performed at the
University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods : Patients had 6
visits, when at least one blood pressure measurement was recorded for
each hypertensive subject and average calculated for systolic blood
pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) separately. The
values obtained were used for stratification of the subjects into
controlled and uncontrolled hypertension. Subjects also had
echocardiograms to determine their left ventricular mass. Results :
LVH was found in 14 (18.2%) of the normotensive group, 40 (20.8%) of
the uncontrolled hypertensive group and 14 (24.1%) of the controlled
hypertensive group when left ventricular mass (LVM) was indexed to body
surface area (BSA). When LVM was indexed to height, left ventricular
hypertrophy was found in none of the subjects of the normotensive
group, while it was found present in 43 (22.4%) and 14 (24.1%) subjects
of the uncontrolled and controlled hypertensive groups, respectively.
Significant difference in the prevalence of LVH was detected only when
LVM was indexed to height alone. Conclusion : Clinic blood pressure is
an ineffective way of assessing BP control. Thus in apparently
controlled hypertensive subjects, based on office blood pressure,
cardiac structural changes do remain despite antihypertensive therapy.
This population is still at risk of cardiovascular events. |
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ISSN: | 1596-3519 |