LEFT-VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY IN A GENERAL HYPERTENSIVE POPULATION IN BARCELONA, SPAIN

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a well known cardiac risk factor. There are no data available as to the epidemiology of th is disease in the general hypertensive population in Spain. METHODS: A randomized sample (n = 267) of a general hypertensive population unde r 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/m(2) of left ventricular m ass in males and > 110 g/m(2) in females. The odds ratio (OR) was esti mated on presentation of LVH associated with exposure to different fac tors. RESULTS: A prevalence of LVH diagnosed by echocardiogram was obs erved in 64% (confidence interval 95% from 58.3 to 69.8%), The indepen dent risk factors associated with the presence of LVH were female sex, age and systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Left ventricular hypert rophy is a frequent cardiovascular risk factor in the general hyperten sive population in Spain. A systematic search by echocardiography cann ot be recommended in primary health care until cost-effectiveness stud ies have been performed.