ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION During the last 30 years, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) defined as an abnormal increase in the mass of the left ventricle (LVM), detected either by an electrocardiogram (ECG) or by the more sensitive echocardiographic technique, has been recognized as an important and independent risk factor in hypertension for predicting several cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, sudden cardiac death, and stroke. Classification into concentric or eccentric (nondilated) hypertrophy and concentric remodeling by using the echocardiographic-measured LV wall-to-radius ratio (values ranging from >0.42 to ≥0.45 defines concentric patterns) has been shown also to have risk-predicting value, being concentric geometry related to more evident systolic and diastolic abnormalities, associated vascular alterations, and worse prognosis.
