[Left ventricular hypertrophy in a general hypertensive population in Barcelona].
BACKGROUND
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a well known cardiac risk factor. There are no data available as to the epidemiology of this disease in the general hypertensive population in Spain.


METHODS
A randomized sample (n = 267) of a general hypertensive population under the age of 80 years was followed in a Basic Health Care Area located in the center of Barcelona, Spain. A Doppler-echocardiographic study of the patients was carried out. The patients were considered to have LVH when they demonstrated an index > 134 g/m2 of left ventricular mass in males and > 110 g/m2 in females. The odds ratio (OR) was estimated on presentation of LVH associated with exposure to different factors.


RESULTS
A prevalence of LVH diagnosed by echocardiogram was observed in 64% (confidence interval 95% from 58.3 to 69.8%). The independent risk factors associated with the presence of LVH were female sex, age and systolic blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
Left ventricular hypertrophy is a frequent cardiovascular risk factor in the general hypertensive population in Spain. A systematic search by echocardiography cannot be recommended in primary health care until cost-effectiveness studies have been performed.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014505:Urban Population
Hipertrofia ventricular izquierda en una población hipertensa general de Barcelona.