Patterns of left ventricular geometry in hypertensive patients in University of Benin teaching hospital, Benin city

Systemic hypertension is associated with different left ventricular geometric adaptations, which are matched to systemic hemodynamics and ventricular load. Four geometric patterns have been described. The prevalence of these left ventricular geometric patterns in hypertension has been reported in other places but, the prevalence in university of Benin teaching hospital is not known. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of the different left ventricular geometric patterns in hypertensive patients in university of Benin teaching hospital Benin City. Two hundred and seventy-four (247) recently diagnosed hypertensive subjects had trans thoracic echocardiography done to determine the left ventricular mass (LVM) and relative wall thickness (RWT). The geometric pattern was then derived from the LVM and RWT. The prevalence of each geometric pattern was determined as a percentage of the total number of subjects. Concentric hypertrophy was the most prevalent geometric pattern (30.8%), concentric remodeling was however the least prevalent (19.4%). The prevalence of eccentric hypertrophy was 27.9% while, that of normal geometry was 21.9%. The prevalence of left ventricular geometric patterns in hypertension is as follows; concentric hypertrophy 30.8%, eccentric hypertrophy 27.9%, normal geometry 21.9% and concentric remodeling 19.4%. Keywords: Prevalence, left ventricular geometry, hypertension