Left ventricular hypertrophy and stroke in hypertension

We evaluated 2,390 initially untreated hypertensive patients to determine if left ventricular hypertrophy confers increased risk for cerebrovascular events in patients with essential hypertension. After adjusting for concomitant risk factors, patients with left ventricular hypertrophy diagnosed by either electrocardiography or echocardiography were at an increased risk for stroke or transient ischemic attack. Our results suggest that left ventricular hypertrophy is an independent risk factor for cerebrovascular disease in patients with essential hypertension.