IS ARTERIAL-PRESSURE THE SOLE FACTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR HYPERTENSIVE CARDIAC-HYPERTROPHY

Increased arterial pressure is obviously the major stimulus to cardiac hypertrophy in hypertension. However, different studies suggest that in addition to the pressure load, other factors could play participating roles in determining the degree of ventricular hypertrophy in response to the hypertensive disease as well as the degree of its reversal after control of arterial pressure. These other mechanisms include genetic factors and concomitant processes such as aging and the presence of cardiomyopathy or other disease. Two neurohumoral influences, namely, the adrenergic and the renin-angiotensin systems, may also participate, and the early evidence supporting these possible contributing factors is cited. Further studies are needed to determine the relative importance of each of these factors in different types of hypertension and in their response to different modes of antihypertensive therapy. © 1979.