DIFFERENTIATION OF THE MYOCARDIAL HYPERTR OPHY BETWEEN HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY AND HYPERTENSIVE HEART-DISEASE

Differentiation between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hypertensive h eart disease is a diagnostic challenge. Asymetric septal hypertrophy h as been emphazied as a characteristic but not specific feature of hype rtrophic cardiomyopathy. This diagnostic dilema is created in patients with systemic hypertension and marked left ventricular hypertrophy. W e performed discriminanz analysis in order to select those M-mode echo cardiographic and 2-D echocardiographic parameters which permit the be st distinction between the two diseases. The combined critera of the c lasical M-mode echocardiographic septal thickness and septal to poster ior wall ratio, left ventricular mass index as well as the 2-D echocar diographic defind septal and/or anterior free wall segment and the 2-D echocardiographically assessed left ventricular mass index improve th e diagnostic specificity.