Prevalence of asymptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction in hypertensive Nigerians: echocardiographic study of 832 subjects

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the prevalence of echocardiographically determined left ventricular systolic dysfunction in asymptomatic hypertensive subjects seen in Abeokuta, Nigeria. METHODS: Echocardiography was performed in 832 consecutive hypertensive subjects referred for cardiac evaluation over a three-year period. RESULTS: Data were obtained in 832 subjects (50.1% women) aged 56.0 ± 12.7 years (men 56.9 ± 13.3 years, women 55.0 ± 12.0 years, range 15–88). The prevalence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) was 18.1% in the study population (mild LVSD = 9.6%, moderate LVSD = 3.7% and severe LVSD = 4.8%). In a multivariate analysis, male gender, body mass index and LV mass were the predictors of LVSD. CONCLUSION: Significant numbers of hypertensive subjects in this study had varying degrees of left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Early introduction of disease-modifying drugs in these patients, such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers may retard or prevent the progression to overt heart failure.