Gender and age-specific structural and geometric myocardial remodeling in arterial hypertension

Abstract

Heart remodeling, heart rate variability, QT dispersion, and myocardial ectopic activity were studied in arterial hypertension (AH) patients, according to their gender and age. In total, 387 individuals with AH were examined: 189 males, and 198 females. The control group included 195 relatively healthy persons (99 males, 96 females). All participants underwent echocardiography, and Hotter ECG monitoring. Hypertensive males demonstrated sympathic hypertonus, cQT dispersion, and higher rate of potentially dangerous ventricular arrhythmias, that was associated with increased risk of sudden arrhythmic death, and concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). In females aged 50-59, eccentric IVHwas more prevalent. Greater structural and functional disturbances in males could be explained by more frequent (85 %) combination of AH and coronary heart disease (CHD); 92 % > of females had isolated AH.

Keywords

• remodeling
• arterial hypertension
• heart rate variability
• qt dispersion
• myocardial ectopic activity
• gender differences