OBJECTIVE: Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy is the one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular complications of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of cardiac arrhythmias (CA) in hypertensive patients (pts) with different types of the LV geometry.

DESIGN AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 132 mild to moderate untreated essential hypertensive pts (78 males and 54 females, aged
43-64 years). The pts were examined by ECG, 24-hours ECG-monitoring and 2-D EchoCG. LV mass index (LVMI), relative wall thickness (RWT) were determined. According to LV structure all pts were divided into 4 groups: I-pts with LV normal geometry (NG), n=73; II-pts with LV concentric remodeling (CR), n=23; III-pts with LV concentric hypertrophy (CH), n=19; IV-pts with LV eccentric hypertrophy (EH), n=17.

RESULTS: In 26 (35.6%) pts with LV NG supraventricular extrasystoles were registered. Six (26.1%) pts with LV CR had supraventricular extrasystoles,
4 (17.4%)-ventricular extrasystoles. In pts with LV CH ventricular extrasystoles (31.6%) were registered; supraventricular extrasystoles were registered in
3 (15.8%) pts and combined arrhythmias (supraventricular and ventricular extrasystoles) were registered in 2 (10.5%) pts. In pts with LV EH combined arrhythmias were registered more frequently (35.3%); 3 (17.6%) pts had supraventricular extrasystoles and 4 (23.5%)-had ventricular extrasystoles.

CONCLUSION: Hypertensive pts with LV hypertrophy have significantly greater prevalence of CA, than others without LV hypertrophy. Combined arrhythmias were registered more frequently in LV EH compared to LV CH.

DNC

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