Preventing left ventricular hypertrophy with hypertension

This study examined the major risk factors for the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients recently diagnosed with hypertension.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), in which the muscle wall of the heart’s left pumping chamber (ventricle) becomes thickened (hypertrophy), is a serious cardiac condition leading to heart failure and increased mortality. Development of LVH is a complex biological process that is influenced by many factors such as genetic determinants, hormone stimulation and mechanical forces.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a leading cause of LVH, because the heart’s muscle needs to work harder to pump blood out against the increased pressure.  
Yet, there are many other risk factors that may contribute to the formation of LVH. Assessing LVH risk factors at the onset of high blood pressure (before it induces damage to the heart wall) should allow patients and physicians to prevent the development of LVH and avoid serious cardiac complications.

The study analyzed 1,518 patients with recently diagnosed essential hypertension (diagnosed in the past 2 years). The study considered age, sex, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and obesity (measured as BMI) as cardiovascular risk factors for LVH.
92% of the patients were found to have at least one risk factor, while 75% of the patients had 2 or more risk factors for LVH. After analysis, the risk factor with the highest correlation to LVH was obesity. Age and systolic blood pressure values were also found to be associated with an increased risk of developing LVH..

This study concluded that the major risk factor for the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension is obesity.