The influence of aldosterone on the development of left ventricular geometry and hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension.

The identification of risk factors for the initiation of left ventricle hypertrophy (LVH), which is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in hypertensive patients, is very important. The objective of the present study was to identify the relationship of aldosterone with LVH and different geometrical patterns of left ventricle that develop in patients with essential hypertension. A total of 83 patients with essential hypertension (44 females, mean age, 51 +/- 8 years, 39 males, mean age, 57 +/- 10 years) were included in this study. Thirty-two had LVH. When evaluated according to the geometrical patterns of LVH, 18 patients had concentric LVH, 14 had eccentric LVH, and 17 had concentric remodeling. Thirty-four patients had normal left ventricle geometry. Two weeks after the cessation of antihypertensive medications, sodium, potassium, and proteinuria in 24-hour urine samples and plasma aldosterone levels and plasma renin activity were measured. Plasma aldosterone levels of the patients with LVH were found to be significantly higher (9.92 +/- 6.34 ng/dL versus 5.83 +/- 3.5 ng/dL, P < 0.01). The difference between plasma renin activities was not statistically significant. Linear regression analysis revealed that plasma aldosterone level and age were independent parameters increasing left ventricle mass index. The plasma aldosterone levels of patients with concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle were significantly higher than those of patients with normal geometry and concentric remodeling. There was no significant difference between plasma renin activities. Twenty-four hour urine protein concentrations of the patients with LVH were found to be significantly higher and sodium to be significantly lower. Plasma aldosterone levels seem to be correlated with LVH especially with concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle in patients with essential hypertension.