Can electrocardiographic strain predict new-onset congestive heart failure in patients with hypertension?
Francis G Dunn
Correspondence Stobhill General Hospital, 133 Balornock Road, Glasgow G21 3UW, UK
Email frank.dunn@northglasgow.scot.nhs.uk
This article has no abstract so we have provided the first paragraph of the full text.
The presence of electrocardiographic voltage evidence of LVH together with lateral ST-segment depression and T-wave inversion (known as a strain pattern) is a well established major risk factor for arterial hypertension.1 This raised risk of hypertension has been demonstrated in both epidemiologic studies and in patients who have established hypertension and are receiving pharmacologic medication.1, 2 The risk caused by LVH and strain is in excess of that due to elevated blood pressure, and LVH and strain increase the risk of all the clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease. The association between coronary artery disease and myocardial ischemia is a critical one, with a significant number of patients often having angiographically proven coronary artery disease or ongoing myocardial ischemia in the absence of any symptoms.3 In addition, the concurrence of LVH and electrocardiographic strain undoubtedly reflects a more severe degree of hypertrophy of the heart. This abnormality in the electrocardiogram reflects a complex series of pathophysiologic abnormalities, which vary from patient to patient.
Full text of this article is available with one of the following:
- Personal subscription Purchase your own personal subscription to this journal. Already a subscriber? Please log in for immediate access.
- 7 day single article pass for US$18 In order to purchase this article you must be a registered user. Please register or log in.
- Site licence Learn more about institutional site licences
Current Subscribers
Please log in to access the full text article using the login box at the top of the page.
