Effect of Smoking on Electrocardiographic Criteria of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Hypertensive Patients

Abstract

Cigarette smoking is a definite risk factor for cardiovascular diseases including, congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction, nearly 1 in 5 deaths from cardiovascular diseases are attributable to smoking Finley (200 l ), also the mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure is higher in smokers Verdecchia, (1995), both smoking and hypertension or either of them can cause an increase in LVM (Maheshwari and Pillai, 2000).

The resting ECG is the most widely used cardiovascular diagnostic test. It's accuracy in diagnosis of LVH is affected by many factors including smoking status, Schillaci, et al., (1999), consequently, echocardiography is the better instrument for screening of LVH, but ECG should keep it's place in the diagnosis of LVH in view of it's high predictiYe value for morbidity and mortality and it's availabilin• to primary health care (Dijkstra et al., 1997).