The effect of obesity on left ventricular geometric patterns in obese essential hypertensive patients

Abstract

This study was performed in Baghdad Teaching Hospital to study whether obesity adds to the adverse effects of hypertension on the heart, namely on the left ventricular geometric pattern, in obese hypertensive patients compared to non-obese hypertensive patients. One hundred eighty hypertensive patients were selected and grouped into two groups, 144 obese hypertensive (group 1: obese HT ) and 36 non-obese hypertensive (group 2: non-obese HT). The two groups showed non-significant differences in respect to the general and echocardiographic characteristics except for the body mass index in kg/m2 (obese HT vs non-obese HT, 31.68± 0.36 vs 26.06±0.33, p= 0.0001) and for the LV mass/height 2.7 in gm/m2.7 (obese HT vs non-obese HT, 93.96±3.79 vs 75.81±9.07, p=0.001). Of the obese HT patients, 12(8%) were having normal LV geometric pattern and 132(92%) showed abnormal LV geometric pattern; Of the non-obese HT patients, 9(25%) were having normal LV geometric pattern and 27(75%) showed abnormal LV geometric pattern (p= 0.0001 overall). There is percentage difference of 17% in the abnormal patterns in the two groups. This was attributed to the presence of obesity in the obese HT group. This study concluded that in the management of obese hypertensive patients it is very essential that not only treating hypertension per se but to plan for promotion of optimal body weight besides controlling hypertension through life style measures such as adequate exercise and proper nutrition and trying to maintain ideal body weight for the whole life of the patient.