title: Ventricular arrhythmias in hypertensive heart disease with and without heart failure.
abstract: Forty-two patients with hypertensive heart disease but without coronary macroangiopathy were examined for ventricular arrhythmias by means of 24-h, long-term electrocardiograms (ECG). They were divided into two groups according to specific criteria. Group 1 was composed of 30 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy but normal ventricular volumes, as determined by ventriculography. Group 2 comprised 12 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and dilated left ventricles. By means of two 24-h, long-term ECGs, the mean absolute number of ventricular extrasystoles was ascertained and severity was determined according to the classification of Ryan et al. On average, patients in group 2 showed 7.830 +/- 6.579 extrasystoles, a significantly higher (p less than 0.001) number than in patients in group 1 who had 1.132 +/- 2.639 extrasystoles/24 h. Moreover, 67% of patients in group 2 had Ryan's class 4a ventricular arrhythmias (couplets) or 4b disorders (ventricular tachycardia). However, corresponding rhythm disorders could be found in only 7% of the patients in group 1. A comparison of hemodynamic parameters and ventricular arrhythmias showed that a decreasing left ventricular ejection fraction (EF, expressed in %), a decreasing mass/volume ratio (LVMM/EDV), and an increasing systolic wall stress of the left ventricle (Tsyst) are accompanied by a nearly linear increase in ventricular extrasystoles and in the severity of the ventricular arrhythmias. During long-term ECGs, nine of 10 patients with systolic wall stress of greater than or equal to 300 dyn x 10(3)/m2 showed Ryan's class 4a or 4b ventricular arrhythmias or ventricular tachycardia during programmed ventricular stimulation. However, 12 patients with normal systolic wall stress (less than or equal to 200 dyn x 10(3)/m2) showed no or only Ryan's class 1 ventricular arrhythmias. Our investigations have shown that cardiac ventricular rhythm disorders frequently occur during decompensated hypertensive heart disease, but to a lesser extent in left ventricular hypertrophy without dilation. Further investigations are needed to demonstrate whether regression of left ventricular hypertrophy is accompanied by a reduction in the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Philipps-University, Marburg/Lahn, F.R.G.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bethge
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Motz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: von Hehn
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Strauer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged