Erythrocyte ion fluxes in essential hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy

Abstract

Background. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in essential hypertension (EH). Several hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic factors have been involved in the development of LVH in hypertension, including abnormalities in cellular ion mobilization. Methods and Results. We measured different ion transport systems in erythrocytes from 50 patients with EH classified as having or not having LVH measured by M-mode echocardiography. Thirty-two EH patients (64%) exhibited criteria of LVH, and 18 (36%) did not. When the two groups were compared, patients with LVH were older (44.7±7.4 versus 37.6±9.2 years; P