Echocardiographically Detected Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: Prevalence and Risk Factors The Framingham Heart Study

The prevalence of and risk factors associated with echocardiographically determined left ventricular hypertrophy were examined in 4976 participants in the Framingham Heart Study (age, 17 to 90 years). Left ventricular hypertrophy was detected in 356 men (16%) and 513 women (19%). Prevalence increases dramatically with age (P < 0.001), with 33 % of men and 4 9 % of women age 70 or older affected. A significant association between blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy is present and occurs at levels of systolic pressure below 140 mm Hg (age adjusted, P < 0.001). There is a ninefold (women) to tenfold (men) increase from leanest to most obese group (age adjusted, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, age, blood pressure, obesity, valve disease, and myocardial infarction ar