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The Complex Puzzle of Hypertrophic Phenotype: A Practical Approach for the Clinician
Alex Dos Santos Felix1,2,3,4, Silvio Henrique Barberato5,6, Marcelo Dantas Tavares de Melo7
1Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ - Brasil.
Insights
Differentiating causes of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is crucial for effective treatment. This review offers a practical approach using clinical assessment and cardiovascular imaging to diagnose diverse LVH etiologies accurately.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a common clinical finding with diverse underlying causes.
- Accurate differentiation of LVH etiologies is essential for appropriate therapeutic strategies and improved patient outcomes.
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can lead to disease progression, reduced functional capacity, and increased morbidity and mortality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a pragmatic methodology for discriminating among the various conditions causing LVH.
- To highlight key diagnostic clues for clinicians managing patients with LVH.
- To emphasize the importance of an integrative approach in evaluating patients with LVH.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical assessment and electrocardiographic findings in LVH diagnosis.
- Emphasis on the role of cardiovascular multimodality imaging as a critical diagnostic tool.
- Integration of data from various medical specialties for a comprehensive patient evaluation.
Main Results:
- Cardiovascular multimodality imaging, combined with clinical and ECG data, is vital for solving diagnostic challenges in LVH.
- An integrative approach involving a multidisciplinary team is recommended for optimized patient follow-up.
- The clinician plays a central role in coordinating data for an assertive diagnosis of LVH.
Conclusions:
- A systematic and integrative approach is necessary for accurate diagnosis and management of LVH.
- Identifying the specific etiology of LVH guides tailored treatment, preventing adverse outcomes.
- This review provides essential insights for clinicians to navigate the complexities of LVH diagnosis.
Abstract:
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) represents a frequent observation in clinical practice. Nonetheless, the hypertrophic phenotype emerges as a common manifestation of diverse conditions, thereby presenting a diagnostic conundrum for clinicians. Differentiation among the etiologies of LVH is imperative for therapy decision-making, as different approaches must be implemented for distinct conditions, such as LVH secondary to loading changes, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), or HCM mimics. In some instances, an erroneous or late diagnosis may lead to a progression of the underlying disease with worsening functional capacity, high morbidity and mortality. The rational use of cardiovascular multimodality imaging is of great importance when carried out in addition to a thorough clinical assessment and correlated with electrocardiographic findings, providing clues to fill the gaps, being, most of the time, the missing piece to solve this challenging puzzle. An integrative approach is of paramount importance for the evaluation of these patients, as they are often followed by several specialties, with varied systemic manifestations. Although a multidisciplinary team is needed for an optimized follow-up of these patients, the most important player in this journey is the clinician, whose mission is to bring together all the red flags and coordinate all the data for an assertive diagnosis. The objective of this review is to provide a pragmatic methodology, highlighting important clues for discriminating among the diverse conditions that result in LVH.
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