Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
The Next Treatable, Silent Killer?
- Julius M. Gardin, MD;
- Michael S. Lauer, MD
- Author Affiliations: Division of Cardiology, St John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit, Mich (Dr Gardin), and Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (Dr Lauer). Dr Lauer is also Contributing Editor, JAMA.
- Corresponding Author: Julius M. Gardin, MD, St John Hospital & Medical Center, 22201 Moross Rd, PB II, Suite 470, Detroit, MI 48236 (julius.gardin{at}stjohn.org).
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AGENTS
- CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
- HYPERTROPHY, LEFT VENTRICULAR
- HYPERTENSION
An increase in the mass of left ventricular muscle is intimately associated with most chronic diseases of the heart.1-6 Classically, left ventricular hypertrophy, which represents an extreme increase in left ventricular mass, has been thought to represent a reaction to pressure or volume overload.7-8 In the short run, increases in left ventricular mass may be beneficial by allowing the heart to compensate for increased wall stress and potential hemodynamic compromise; in the long run, left ventricular hypertrophy is harmful.8
Although the development of left ventricular hypertrophy has been related to a number of conditions,4 including obesity,9 diabetes,10 prior myocardial infarction,11 aortic stenosis,12 and regurgitant valvular heart disease,12 hypertension may well be the condition about which the most is known.13 Data from the Framingham Heart Study have shown that even mild increases in blood pressure are associated …
