Title: Correlation of Left Ventricular Mass with Biochemical Variables in Hypertensive Subjects
Authors: Dr Chaitrali Gawde, Dr Sanjay Agrawal, Dr Amrit Kejriwal
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i12.114
Abstract
Introduction
Hypertension
The amount of blood pumped by the heart and also resistance offered to the flow of blood in the arteries determines the blood pressure in our body. When the long term force of the blood is very high so that the health problems may occur like heart diseases, the condition is known as high blood pressure or hypertension.
There are mainly two types of hypertension i.e.:
Primary (essential hypertension) – when there is no visible cause of hypertension and which tends to develop over a period of time.
Secondary hypertension – hypertension is caused due to some underlying condition.1
Diastolic Blood Pressure– "Diastolic" comes from the Greek word “diastole” meaning "a drawing apart." It is the pressure that exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries through which it flows during ventricular relaxation. Normal range is 60 – 80 mm of Hg in adults. It reflects the minimum pressure in the arteries.
Systolic Blood Pressure- "Systolic" comes from the Greek word “systole” meaning "a drawing together or a contraction." It is the pressure that exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries through which it flows during ventricular contraction. Normal range of systolic blood pressure is 90 – 120 mm of Hg in adults. It reflects the maximum pressure exerted on the arteries.
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
When the left pumping chamber of the heart stops functioning properly i.e. its normal pumping action is hampered due to the thickening, the condition is known as left ventricular hypertrophy. Sometimes the heart muscles overwork due to problems like aortic stenosis. Due to this, thickening of heart muscles may happen along the inner walls of heart. Due to this thickening, left chamber may become weak, stiff and it may lose its elasticity also. Combining all this, healthy blood flow may stop resulting in heart diseases.2
Left ventricular hypertrophy increase risk of morbidity and mortality substantially.3 4 5
