Impaired Left Ventricular filling in hypertensive left ventricutar hypertrophy as a marker of the presence of arrhythmogenic substrate

Abstract

Several studies have shown that hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy are at increased risk of sudden cardiac death (Kannel, 1983 and Cosale et al., 1986).

In the current study, 40 patients with hypertension, half of them had left ventricular hypertrophy (the study group (A)) and the other half without LVH (group B).

All patients included in the study were subjected to:

* Clinical assessment and blood pressure measurement

* Resting ECG.

* Ambulatory 24 hours Holter monitoring.

* M-mode, 2-D and Doppler echocardiographic study.

* Signal averaged electrocardiogram.

20% of group A had frequent premature ventricular contractions and • 25% had non-sustained ventricular tachycardia and in comparison with group B ; 15% had premature ventricular contractions and 1 0% had ventricular tachycardia.