Scenario: DW is a 65-year-old, 135 kg male who visited his primary care physician for a routine examination. His blood pressure was 158/100 mmHg and his heart rate was 71 bpm. Stroke volume and cardiac output were normal. Serum renin levels were in the normal range. A chest x-ray revealed left ventricular hypertrophy. Other clinical findings were unremarkable.
) Why is the case talking about ventricular hypertrophy rather than atrial hypertrophy?
ANSWER :
The left ventricular hypertrophy is the enlargement & thickening (hypertrophy) of left ventricle of the heart, which is the main chamber of heart that push oxygenated blood into the systemic circulation of the body with approx.120 mmHg blood pressure normally. But due to increase in widening & thickness of left ventricle, it would have to exert more pressure to pump out the blood and lead to significant increase in the systolic blood pressure. As in the given case, the systolic pressure of patient increased to 158 mmHg due to left ventricular hypertrophy. Hence it should not be consider as atrial hypertrophy.
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