Correlates of Left Atrial Size in Hypertensive Patients With Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

Authors:
  • BDBjörn Dahlöf
    Björn Dahlöf
  • LSLosartan Intervention For Endpoint Reduction in Hypertension (LIFE) Study
    Losartan Intervention For Endpoint Reduction in Hypertension (LIFE) Study
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Abstract
Left ventricular hypertrophy has been suggested to mediate the relation between hypertension and left atrial enlargement, with associated risks of atrial fibrillation and stroke. However, less is known about correlates of left atrial size in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. We assessed left atrial size by echocardiography in 941 hypertensive patients, age 55 to 80 (mean, 66) years, with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy at baseline in the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension study. Enlarged left atrial diameter (women, >3.8 cm; men, >4.2 cm) was present in 56% of women and 38% of men ( P P P <0.05). Thus, left atrial size in hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy is influenced by gender, age, obesity, systolic blood pressure, and left ventricular geometry independently of left ventricular mass and presence of mitral regurgitation or atrial fibrillation.

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