Transient myocardial ischaemia in hypertensives: missing link with left ventricular hypertrophy.

Abstract

Hypertensive patients often complain of angina pectoris in spite of a normal coronary angiogram. The aim of this study was to establish whether electrographical signs of transient myocardial ischaemia during 24-h ST Holter monitoring are associated with an increased left ventricular muscle mass. Thirty-five hypertensive patients were studied by 24-h Holter monitoring and M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography. For control purposes nine normotensives were studied by the same protocol. Hypertensives with and without ST-segment depression did not differ in respect of blood pressure or left ventricular muscle mass (162.9 +/- 80 vs. 162.3 +/- 53 g m-2). Since both groups only showed a borderline left ventricular hypertrophy, the myocardial factor does not seem to be important for the occurrence of ST segment depression. Primary functional and structural alterations at the microcirculation level seem to be responsible for the occurrence of transient episodes of ST segment depression in the Holter electrocardiogram, indicating transient myocardial ischaemia.