LEFT-VENTRICULAR GEOMETRY IN PRESENTING UNTREATED HYPERTENSION

In order to investigate the spectrum of geometry in our patient popula tion, 63 untreated hypertensives underwent two-dimensional echocardiog raphy, Left ventricular (LV) mass index and relative wall thickness, a measure of wall thickness in relation to cavity size, were calculated from the M-mode strip. In addition, to assess the sphericity of the l eft ventricle the ratio of LV minor to major hemiaxis was calculated, The subjects comprised 41 men (17 Caucasian, 22 Afro-Carribean and two Oriental), and 21 women (five Caucasian, 12 Afro-Carribean and two Or iental), Concentric hypertrophy was present in 46% of subjects, concen tric remodelling in 32% of subjects, eccentric hypertrophy in only 6% of subjects and a normal left ventricular shape in 16% of subjects, Th e degree of sphericity of the left ventricle was similar among the fou r groups, suggesting that it does not change in uncomplicated hyperten sion, In contrast to the previously published combined series from Sas sari and New York we had a low proportion of patients with either ecce ntric hypertrophy or normal left ventricular geometry, This is probabl y due to the high proportion of Afro-Carribean subjecs in our clinic p opulation who are more likely to have left ventricular hypertrophy.