Prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy detected by Cornell voltage‐duration product in a hypertensive population

INTRODUCTION: Detection and treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertension is important in order to reduce cardiovascular risk. The product of QRS voltage and duration (e.g. Cornell voltage-duration product; CorP), is a good marker of LVH and the current study was designed to determine the prevalence of LVH in patients with essential hypertension treated in general practice. METHODS: This study was a multicenter, cross-sectional survey in outpatient hypertensive patients attending clinics across Spain. The primary endpoint for detection of LVH was a CorP >2.440 mm.ms on ECG recordings, which were independently assessed. RESULTS: Seven hundred and eighty-two patients were evaluated (66.1+/-10.4 years; 50.6% males; body mass index 28.2+/-6.1 kg/m2) with a mean baseline blood pressure (BP) of 155.7+/-17.7/90.8+/-10.6 mmHg. Only 13.2% of the study population had BP that was adequately controlled. LVH was detected in 23.4% of patients using the CorP method. Predictors of LVH were prior history of LVH, hypertensive retinopathy, age, grade II hypertension and male gender. CONCLUSIONS: Almost one-quarter of hypertensive patients who attended outpatient clinics in Spain had LVH detected by CorP. The CorP criterion appears to be a useful method for detecting LVH in general practice.