Skip to main content

Ventricular tachyarrhythmias, myocardial ischemia and sudden cardiac death in patients with hypertensive heart disease

  • Chapter
Myocardial Ischemia and Arrhythmia
  • 781 Accesses

Summary

Hypertensive heart disease is increasingly considered to be a strong and independent risk factor for sudden cardiac death. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias in these patients are common and mainly the result of electrophysiological abnormalities and increased electrical vulnerability of the hypertrophic myocardium. However, arrhythmia occurrence is often facilitated and aggravated by the interaction of hypertensive heart disease with electrolyte disturbances, with the sympathoadrenergic system and, by this, with transient blood pressure crisis, but especially the occurrence of transient episodes of myocardial ischemia seem to carry a particularly high risk of fatal proarrhythmia. Myocardial ischemia in the setting of hypertensive heart disease may result from stenotic lesions in large and/or small coronary artery vessels, and in the absence of both, myocardial hypertrophy itself often causes insufficient cellular oxygen supply and consumption. Recent studies have shown that acute and transient myocardial ischemia are common in many hypertensives, often fail to be symptomatic, and that the dynamic interaction of left ventricular hypertrophy, transient myocardial ischemia, and ventricular tachyarrhythmias provide a crucial link for the high incidence of sudden cardiac death in patients with hypertensive heart disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Aronow WS, Epstein S, Koenigsberg M (1990) Usefulness of echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy and silent ischemia in predicting new cardiac events in elderly patients with systemic hypertension or coronary artery disease. Angiology 3: 189–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Aronow WS, Epstein S, Koenigsberg M, Schwartz KS (1988) Usefulness of echocardiography left ventricular hypertrophy, ventricular tachycardia and complex ventricular arrhythmias in predicting ventricular fibrillation or sudden cardiac death in elderly patients. Am J Cardiol 62: 1124–1125

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bache RJ (1988) Effects of hypertrophy on the coronary circulation. Progr Cardiovasc Dis 6: 403–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Casale PN, Devereux PB, Milner M, Zullo G, Harshfield GA, Pickering TG, Laragh JH. Value of echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular mass in predicting cardiovascular morbid events in hypertensive men. Ann Int Med 105: 173–178

    Google Scholar 

  5. Clementy J, Safar M, Vrancea F (1989) Cardiac arrhythmias in hypertension. Prospective study including 251 patients. Efficacy of sotalol. Eu Heart J 10: 201

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cooper RS, Simmons BE, Castaner A, Santhanam V, Ghali J, Mar M (1990) Left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with worse survival independent of ventricular function and number of coronary arteries severely narrowed. Am J Cardiol 65: 441–445

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dahlöf B, Pennert K, Hannson L (1992) Reversal of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients. A metaanalysis of 109 treatment studies. Am J Hypertens 5: 96–100

    Google Scholar 

  8. De Quattro V, Lee DD, Kimura S, Ngo V, Cox T, Pham TQ, Rigonan K. Silent ischemia and noradrenergic tone in ambulatory hypertensives with left ventricular hypertrophy and stable angina. In: Silent myocardial ischemia, Ed.: Singh B, Pergamon Press, New York, 112–125

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dellsperger KC, Martins JB, Clothier JL, Marcus ML (1990) Incidence of sudden cardiac death associated with coronary artery occlusion in dogs with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy is reduced by chronic beta-adrenergic blockade. Circulation 82: 941–950

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Dellsperger KC, Clothier JL, Hartnett JA, Haun LM, Marcus ML. Acceleration of the wavefront of myocardial necrosis by chronic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy in dogs. Circ Res 63: 87–96

    Google Scholar 

  11. Dunn FG, Ventura HO, Messerli FH, Kobrin I, Frohlich ED. Time course of regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients treated with atenolol. Circulation 76: 254–258

    Google Scholar 

  12. Echt DS, Liebson PR, Mitchell LB, Peters RW, Obias-Manno D, Barker AH, Arensberg D, Baker A, Friedman L, Greene L, Huther ML, Richardson DW, CAST Investigators. Mortality and morbidity in patients receiving encainide, flecainide or placebo. New Engl J Med 324,12: 781–787

    Google Scholar 

  13. Elharrar V, Zipes DP (1977) Effects of drugs on conduction delay and incidence of ventricular arrhythmias induced by acute coronary occlusion in dogs. Am J Physiol 233: 329–345

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fouad FM, Nakashima Y, Tarazi RC, Salcedo EE (1982) Reversal of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients treated with methyldopa: Lack of association with blood pressure control. Am J Cardiol 49: 795–801

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Gaasch WH, Zile MR, Hoshino PK, Weinberg EO, Rhodes DR, Apstein CS (1990) Tolerance of the hypertrophic heart to ischemia. Circulation 81: 1644–1653

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ghali JK, Kadakia S, Cooper R, Liao Y (1991) Impact of left ventricular hypertrophy on ventricular arrhythmias in the absence of coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 17: 1277–1282

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Gordon T, Kannel WB (1971) Premature mortality from coronary heart disease. The Framingham Study. JAMA 215: 1617–1625

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Granger CB, Karimeddini MK, Smith VE, Shapiro HR, Katz AM (1985) Rapid ventricular filling in left ventricular hypertrophy: physiological hypertrophy. J Am Coll Cardiol 5: 862–868

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Gulch RW, Baumann R, Jacob R (1979) Analysis of myocardial action potential in left ventricular hypertrophy of Goldblatt rats. Basic Res Cardiol 74: 69–82

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hauser AM, Dressendorfer RH, Vos M, Hashimoto T, Gordon S, Timmis GC (1985) Symmetric cardiac enlargement in highly trained endurance athletes: A two-dimensional echocardiographic study. Am Heart J 109: 1038–1044

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Heller LJ, Stauffer EK (1981) Membrane potentials and contractile events of hypertrophied rat cardiac muscle. Proc Exp Biol Med 166: 141–147

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Holme I, Helgland A, Hjermann I, Leren P, Lund-Larsen P (1984) Treatment of mild hypertension with diuretics. JAMA 251: 1298–1299

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Inou T, Lamberth WC, Koyanagi S (1987) Relative importance of hypertension after coronary occlusion in chronic hypertensive dogs with left ventricular hypertrophy. Am J Physiol 22: 1148–1158

    Google Scholar 

  24. James MA, Jones JV (1987) Ventricular arrhythmias in untreated newly presenting hypertensive patients compared with a matched normal population. J Hyper 7: 409–415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Kannel WB (1983) Prevalence and natural history of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy. Am J Med 75: 4–11

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Kannel WB, Boyle JT, McNamara M, Quinchenton P, Gordon T (1975) Precursors of sudden death: factors related to the incidence of sudden death. Circulation 51: 606–613

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Kannel WB, D’Agostino RB, Levy D, Belanger AJ (1988) Prognostic significance of regression of left ventricular hypertrophy. Circulation 78: 89

    Google Scholar 

  28. Kannel WB, Dannenberg AL, Abbott RD (1985) Unrecognized myocardial infarction and hypertension: The Framingham Study. Am Heart J 109: 581–585

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Kannel WB, Schatzkin A (1985) Sudden death: lessons from subsets in population studies. JACC 5: 141B–149B

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Koren MJ, Devereux RB, Casale PN, Savage DD, Laragh JH (1991) Relation of left ventricular mass and geometry to morbidity and mortality in uncomplicated essential hypertension. Ann Int Med 114: 345–352

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Koren MJ, Savage DD, Casale PN, Laragh JH, Devereux RB (1990) Changes in left ventricular mass predict risk in essential hypertension. Circulation 82: 29

    Google Scholar 

  32. Koyanagi S, Eastham C, Harrison DG, Marcus ML (1982) Increased size of myocardial infarction in dogs with chronic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. Circ Res 50: 52–62

    Google Scholar 

  33. Laird S, Pringle SD, Cameron H, Balogun MO, Dunn FG (1993) Risk factors for witnessed sudden death in hypertension. Eu Heart Journal 2: 3

    Google Scholar 

  34. Lanti M, Puddu EP, Menotti A (1990) Voltage criteria of left ventricular hypertrophy in sudden and nonsudden coronary artery disease mortality: The Italian section of the seven countries study. Am J Cardiol 66,17: 1181–1185

    Google Scholar 

  35. LeHeuzey JY, Guize L (1988) Cardiac prognosis in hypertensive patients. Incidence of sudden death and ventricular arrhythmias. Am J Cardiol 84: 65–68

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Levy D, Anderson KM, Savage DD, Balkus SA, Kannel WB, Castelli WP (1987) Risk of ventricular arrhythmias in left ventricular hypertrophy. The Framingham Heart Study. Am J Cardiol 60: 560–565

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Levy D, Garrison RJ, Savage DD, Kannel WB, Castelli WP (1989) Left ventricular mass and the incidence of coronary heart disease in an elderly cohort. The Framingham Heart Study. Ann Int Med 110: 101–107

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Levy D, Garrison RJ, Savage DD, Kannel WB, Castelli WP (1990) Prognostic implications of echocardiographically determined left ventricular mass in the Framingham heart study. N Engl J Med 322: 1561–1565

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Levy D, Anderson KM, Savage DD, Kannel WB, Christiansen JC, Castelli WP (1988) Echocardiographically detected left ventricular hypertrophy: prevalence and risk factors: the Framingham Heart Study. Ann Int Med 108: 7–13

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Marcus ML, Harrison DG, Chilian WM, Koyanagi S, Inon T (1987) Alterations in the coronary circulation in hypertrophied ventricles. Circulation 75: 19–25

    Google Scholar 

  41. Martins JB, Kim W, Marcus ML (1989) Chronic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy facilitate induction of sustained ventricular tachycardia in dogs 3 hours after left circumflex coronary artery occlusion. J Am Coll Cardiol 14: 1365–1373

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Mayer J (1993) Zirkadiane Inzidenz Kardiovaskulärer Ereignisse and Aufwachhypertonie. Dtsch Med Wschr 118: 474–479

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. McLenachan JM, Henderson E, Morris K, Dargie HJ (1987) Ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy. N Engl J Med 317: 787–792

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Messerli FH, Kässer UR, Losem CH (1989) Effects of antihypertensive therapy on hypertensive heart disease. Circulation 80: 145–150

    Google Scholar 

  45. Messerli FH, Nunez BD, Nunez MM, Garavaglia GE, Schmieder RE, Ventura HO (1989) Hypertension and sudden cardiac death. Disparate effects of calcium entry blockers and diuretic therapy on cardiac dysrhythmias. Arch Int Med 149: 1263–1267

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Messerli FH, Ventura HO, Elizardi DJ, Dunn FG, Frohlich ED (1984) Hypertension and sudden cardiac death: Increased ventricular ectopy activity in left ventricular hypertrophy. Am J Med 77: 18–22

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Moss AJ (1980) Clinical significance of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with and without coronary artery disease. Prog Cardiovasc Dis 23: 602–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Muller JE, Lundmer PL, Willich SN (1987) Circadian variation in the frequency of sudden cardiac death. Circulation 75: 131–138

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Muller JE, Stone PH, Turi ZG (1985) Circadian variation in the frequency of onset of acute myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med 313: 1315–1322

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Research Group: Baseline rest electrocardiographic abnormalities, anti-hypertensive treatment and mortality in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial. Am J Cardiol 1985; 55: 1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Nishimura T, Yamada Y, Kawai C (1980) Echocardiographic evaluation of long-term effects of exercise of left ventricular hypertrophy and function in professional bicyclists. Circulation 61: 832–840

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Novo S, Abrigani MG, Longo B, Barbagallo M, Barbagallo G, Strano A (1993) Cardiac arrhythmias and silent episodes of myocardial ischemia in hypertensives with or without left ventricular hypertrophy. Eu Heart J Suppl: 3

    Google Scholar 

  53. Novo S, Barbagallo M, Abrignani MG, Alaimo G, Nardi E, Corrao S, Papadia C, Strano A (1990) Cardiac arrhythmias as correlated with the circadian rhythm of arterial pressure in hypertensive subjects with and without left ventricular hypertrophy. Clin Pharmacol 39: 49–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. O’Kelly BF, Tubau JF, Szlachcic J, Daiss K, Massie BM (1988) Coronary detection of silent coronary artery disease in hypertensive patients. Hypertension 12: 344–349

    Google Scholar 

  55. Pye MP, Cobbe SM (1992) Mechanisms of ventricular arrhythmias in cardiac failure and hypertrophy. Cardiovasc Res 26: 740–750

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Podrid PJ (1989) Aggravation of arrhythmia: A complication of antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Eur Heart J 10: 66–72

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Roeske W, O’Rourke RA, Klein A, Leopold G, Karliner JS (1976) Noninvasive evaluation of ventricular hypertrophy in professional athletes. Circulation 53: 286–292

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Salcedo EE, Marwick TH, Korzick DH, Goormastic M, Go RT (1990) Left ventricular hypertrophy sensitizes the myocardium to the development of ischemia. Eur Heart J 11,6: 72–78

    Google Scholar 

  59. Schrader J, Scheler F (1990) Zirkadianes Blutdruckverhalten and therapeutische Konsequenzen. Internist 31: 662–668.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Sideris DA, Kontoyannis DA, Michaelis L, Adractas A, Moulopoulos SD (1987) Acute changes in blood pressure as a cause of cardiac arrhythmias. Eu Heart J 8: 45–52

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Scheler S, Motz W, Strauer BE (1989) Transiente Myokardischämie bei Hypertonikern. Z Kardiol 78: 197–203

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Schmieder RE, Messerli FH (1993) Ventrikuläre Rhythmusstörungen and plötzlicher Herztod: die Bedeutung der linksventrikulären Hypertrophie als Risikofaktor. Schw Med Wschr 123: 99–107

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Schmieder RE, Messerli FH, Nunez BD, Garavaglia GE, Frohlich ED (1988) Hemodynamic, humoral and volume findings in systemic hypertension with isolated ventricular septal hypertrophy. Am J Cardiol 62: 1053–1057

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Schmieder RE, Nunez BD, Messerli FH (1992) Determinants of ventricular arrhythmias in hypertensive cardiac disease. Am Heart J 123: 89–95

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Schmieder RE, Rüdddel H, Grube E, Schulte W (1988) Depressed myocardial contractility in early left ventricular hypertrophy. Circulation 78: 75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Smith VE, Schulman P, Karimeddinin MK, White WB, Meeran MK, Katz AM (1985) Rapid ventricular filling in left ventricular hypertrophy. II. Pathologic hypertrophy. J Am Coll Cardiol 5: 869–874

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Stamler J, Neaton JD, Wentworth DN (1989) Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and risk of fatal coronary heart disease. Hypertension 13: I-2-I-12

    Google Scholar 

  68. Stewart DE, Ikram H, Espiner EA, Nicholls MG (1985) Arrhythmogenic potential of diuretic induced hypokalaemia in patients with mild hypertension and ischemic heart disease. Br Heart J 54: 290–297

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Szlachcic J, Tubau JF, Massie BM, O’Kelly BF (1989) Coronary morbidity and mortality, pre-existing silent coronary artery disease, and mild hypertension. Ann Int Med 110,12: 1017–1026

    Google Scholar 

  70. Tanaka M, Fujiwara H, Onodera T (1986) Quantitative analysis of myocardial fibrosis in normals, hypertensive hearts and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Br Heart J 55: 575–581

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Trenkwalder P, Dobrindt R, Plaschke M, Lydtin H (1993) Usefulness of simultaneous ambulatory electrocardiographic and blood pressure monitoring in detecting myocardial ischemia in patients > 70 years of age with systemic hypertension. Am J Cardiol 72: 927–931

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Tubau JF, Szlachcic J, Braun S, Massie BM (1989) Impaired left ventricular functional reserve in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. Hypertension 14: 1–8

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Tubau JF, Szlachcic J, London MJ, Hollenberg M, Mangano D, Massie BM (1987) Systemic hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy in coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol 60: 231–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  74. Tyroler HA (1983) Race, education, and 5-year mortality in HDFP stratum I referred-care males. In: Gross F, Strasser T. Mild hypertension: recent advances, S163–175. Raven Press, New York 1983

    Google Scholar 

  75. Vogt M, Motz W, Scheler S, Strauer BE (1990) Disorders of coronary microcirculation and arrhythmias in systemic arterial hypertension. Am J Cardiol 65: 45G–50G

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Wehling M, Lössl M, Theisen K, Frey A (1991) ST-Strecken-Senkungen korrelieren bei Patienten mit hypertensiver Herzerkrankung mit spontanen Änderungen des Blutdruckes. Z Kardiol 80: 144–148

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Whelton PK (1985) Systemic hypertension, diuretic drugs, arrhythmias and sudden death. Am J Cardiol 55: 221–222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Yurenev AP, DeQuattro V, Devereux RB (1990) Hypertensive heart disease: relationship of silent ischemia to coronary artery disease and left ventricular hypertrophy. Am Heart J 120: 928–933

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Yurenev AP, Dyakanova HG, Novikov ID, Vitols A, Pahl L (1992) Management of essential hypertension in patients with different degrees of left ventricular hypertrophy. Am J Hypertens 5: 182–189

    Google Scholar 

  80. Zehender M, Meinertz T, Hohnloser S, Geibel A, Gerisch U, Olschewski M, Just H (1992) Prevalence of circadian variations and spontaneous variability of cardiac disorders and ECG changes suggestive of myocardial ischemia in systemic arterial hypertension. Circulation 85: 1808–1815

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Zehender M, Hohnloser S, Just H (1992) Zirkadiane Rhythmen bei der koronaren Herzkrankheit. Dtsch Med Wschr 117: 629–637

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Zehender M, Meinertz T, Hohnloser S, Geibel A, Hartung J, Seiler K, Just H, and the Multicenter Ketanserin Research Group (1989) Incidence and clinical relevance of QT prolongation caused by the new selective serotonin antagonist-ketanserin. Am J Cardiol 63: 826–832

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  83. Zierhut W, Zimmer HG (1989) Significance of myocardial alpha-and beta-adrenoreceptors in catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Circ Res 65: 1417–1425

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Darmstadt

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Zehender, M., Faber, T., Koscheck, U., Meinertz, T., Just, H. (1994). Ventricular tachyarrhythmias, myocardial ischemia and sudden cardiac death in patients with hypertensive heart disease. In: Zehender, M., Meinertz, T., Just, H. (eds) Myocardial Ischemia and Arrhythmia. Steinkopff. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72505-0_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72505-0_13

  • Publisher Name: Steinkopff

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-72507-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-72505-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics