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Differences in left ventricular structure between black and white hypertensive adults: the Hypertension Genetic

Jorge R Kizer1, Donna K Arnett, Jonathan N Bella

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, USA. jok2007@med.cornell.edu

Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
|May 5, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Black adults with hypertension show greater left ventricular mass and thickness than white adults, independent of clinical factors. These ethnic differences in cardiac structure persist even after accounting for blood pressure and other hemodynamic measures.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Clinical Hypertension
  • Ethnic Health Disparities

Background:

  • Ethnic variations in left ventricular structure among hypertensive individuals are not fully understood.
  • Previous research has not definitively established if these differences are independent of clinical and hemodynamic factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether left ventricular mass and geometry differ between black and white hypertensive adults.
  • To determine if these differences persist after controlling for clinical and hemodynamic parameters.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based cohort study including 1060 black and 580 white hypertensive participants without valvular or coronary disease.
  • Standardized echocardiography and blood pressure measurements were performed.
  • Statistical analysis controlled for cardiac index, peripheral resistance index, and pulse pressure/stroke index.

Main Results:

  • Black hypertensives exhibited higher left ventricular mass and relative wall thickness compared to white hypertensives, even after adjustment.
  • The adjusted risk of left ventricular hypertrophy and concentric geometry was significantly greater in black individuals.
  • These disparities remained after further adjustment for relatedness in a genetic epidemiological analysis.

Conclusions:

  • Ethnic differences in left ventricular mass and relative wall thickness are strongly associated with black ethnicity in hypertensive adults.
  • These structural variations are independent of standard clinical and hemodynamic parameters.
  • Further research is needed to explore the roles of ambulatory pressure profiles and ethnic predisposition to cardiac hypertrophy.

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