Related Experiment Videos
Prevalence and determinants of cardiac and vascular hypertrophy in hypertension
M J Roman1, T G Pickering, R Pini
1Department of Medicine, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, NY 10021, USA.
Insights
Hypertension is linked to both arterial and ventricular hypertrophy, with arterial changes correlating with age and blood pressure. These findings highlight the widespread vascular impact of high blood pressure.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Hypertension Research
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Arterial hypertrophy in capacitance vessels is increasingly recognized in hypertensive individuals.
- Noninvasive ultrasound techniques allow for the assessment of vascular and cardiac structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and factors influencing vascular hypertrophy in hypertension.
- To investigate the association between arterial and ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients.
Main Methods:
- Comparative ultrasound analysis of carotid and cardiac structures in 172 normotensive and 172 unmedicated hypertensive subjects.
- Subjects were matched for age and sex, with similar body size.
Main Results:
- Hypertension was associated with increased left ventricular and carotid wall thickness and mass.
- Arterial hypertrophy was more prevalent in hypertensive subjects, particularly those with ventricular hypertrophy.
- Carotid hypertrophy correlated with age and systolic pressure, while ventricular hypertrophy correlated with body size and systolic pressure.
Conclusions:
- Hypertension induces both arterial and ventricular hypertrophy.
- Age and systolic pressure are key determinants of arterial hypertrophy in hypertension.
- Vascular and cardiac hypertrophy are interconnected manifestations of hypertension.
Abstract:
Hypertrophy of the capacitance arteries has recently been documented in hypertensive patients by noninvasive ultrasound techniques. To better define the prevalence and determinants of vascular hypertrophy and its potential association with ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension, we compared carotid and cardiac ultrasound findings in 172 normotensive and 172 unmedicated hypertensive subjects matched for age and sex. Despite similar body size, hypertension was associated with increased left ventricular wall thicknesses, mass, and mass index (89 versus 80 g/m2, P < .0001 for all comparisons) and increased carotid wall thickness (0.82 versus 0.77 mm) and cross-section area (17.1 versus 15.3 mm2, P < .005 for both comparisons). Among the 172 normotensive subjects, left ventricular hypertrophy was noted in 9 (5.2%) and arterial hypertrophy was found in 9 (5.2%), whereas ventricular hypertrophy was found in 21 (12.2%) and arterial hypertrophy in 19 (11%) hypertensive subjects. Arterial hypertrophy was found in 9% of hypertensive subjects with normal ventricular mass and in 24% with left ventricular hypertrophy (P < .05). Among hypertensive subjects carotid wall thickness and cross-sectional area were most strongly related to age and systolic pressure (P < .0001 for all comparisons), with little contribution form body size. Carotid relative wall thickness was only related to increasing age (P < .01). In contrast, left ventricular wall thickness and mass were strongly related to body size and systolic pressure (P < .0001 for comparisons) but not to age (P = NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)