The Effect of Degree and Type of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on Ventricular Arrhythmias in Hypertension

Finding the arrythmogenic potential in patients with arterial hypertension as well as its correlation with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and its type and degree. The research included 109 hypertensive patients (pts) (54 male and 55 female), 54.2 ± 7.9 years old without symptomatic coronary disease, myocardial infarction and systolic dysfunction. All the pts had a clinical examination, ECG, 24 h Holter monitoring with Lown classification of ventricular arrhythmias, an echocardiogram with left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and a specific type of LVH. QT interval dispersion (QTd) was calculated on 12 leads standard ECG. 75 pts had LVH (LVMI: 172.6 ± 42.95 g/m2) while 35 pts were without LVH (109.3 ± 15.9 g/m2). Non sustained ventricular tachycardia was registered in 13 pts (17.6%) with LVH and 1 female patient without LVH (2.9%). Patients with VT had a considerably higher ILVM (214.9 ± 6.8 vs. 151.9 ± 47.2 g/m2) than the average and higher QTd (73.7 ± 19.1 vs. 55.2 ± 20.2). VT was registered in 3/19 (15.8%) with eccentric nedilated type LVH, 6/38 (15.8%) with concentric LVH, 1/11 (9.1) (disproportional septal LVH) and 3/5 ( 60%) with dilated LVH. Univariate analysis showed a considerable correlation between the degree of arrhythmias and ILVM (p<0.001) and QTd (p=0.012). Ventricular arrhythmias in patients with arterial hypertension are considerably correlated to the degree of LVH expressed in ILVM and QTd.