Department of Medicine, Glostrup University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; Steno Diabetes Centre, Gentofte, Denmark; Department of Preventive Medicine, Norrland University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden; Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital-Östra, Göteborg, Sweden

Correspondence: Chief Physician Hans Ibsen, M.D., D.M.Sci., Department of Medicine M, Glostrup Hospital, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark. E-mail: haib@glostruphosp.kbhamt.dk

Abstract

Albuminuria and cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy: The LIFE Study. Studies have shown that albuminuria is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events. We tested the relationship between albuminuria (UACR) and cardiovascular risk in 8206 hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy included in the LIFE Study. Follow-up was 39,122 patient years. The risk for the primary composite cardiovascular end point increases continuously from the lowest to the highest decile of baseline UACR. No specific threshold could be identified. In conclusion, albuminuria predicts the outcome in the LIFE Study. The risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy increases at much lower UACR than has been reported in diabetic patients.