Left ventricular hypertrophy can be defined by the increased left ventricular mass; with myocardial cell hypertrophy and an increase in collagen within myocardium. At the cellular level, the cardiomyocytes expand in thickness and length, but with little or no increase in the number of cells, to compensate for the increased hemodynamic stress on the ventricular wall.
It is a marker for and contributes to coronary events, stroke, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, and cardiovascular mortality in patients with hypertension
Complications of left ventricular hypertrophy include atrial fibrillation, diastolic heart failure, systolic heart failure, and sudden death.
Age, race, gender and body size can influence cardiac mass; this might occur through cardiac load. Hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy is a risk factor for high insulin level and insulin resistance.
Left ventricular hypertrophy
