| Popis: |
In untreated essential hypertension cardiovascular structural changes will develop after some time. In arteries and arterioles, thickening and reduced compliance of the vascular wall is noted and in the left ventricle, myocardial hypertrophy. Both types of changes will enhance the risk of ischemia and of developing cardiac complications, i.e. coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and heart failure. Methods for measurement of vascular and cardiac hypertrophy are reviewed and the value of echo-cardiographic evaluation of the hypertensive patient is stressed. |
