Correlation of electrocardiogram with echocardiographic left ventricular mass in adult Nigerians with systemic hypertension.

Abstract

Systemic hypertension, High Blood Pressure (HBP) is common in Nigeria with up to 10 to 15% prevalence among adults. HBP is readily complicated by left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), recognised to herald a series of adverse outcomes in cardiovascular health. In order to device a method of assessment of LVH that is objective, readily available, affordable and easily operable in the face of soaring cost of the more recent techniques, correlation of electrocardiographic (ECG) LVH parameters was done with echocardiographic (ECHO) left ventricular mass (LVM). ECG is objective, affordable and easily operable, while ECHO is highly accurate for measurement of LVM. One hundred and fifty-five hypertensives were studied (123m; 32f). A statistically significant correlation was found with a maximum coefficient of 0.36 in males only. ECG can thus offer an objective alternative for assessment of LVH in HBP in males where ECHO is not available or practicable.