[Angina pectoris in a hypertensive patient with left ventricle hypertrophy: echo-angiographic comparisons].

Not every case of angina pectoris occurring in a hypertensive patient is indicative of coronary atherosclerosis. Nine patients with essential hypertension of moderate degree had attacks of angina of sufficient severity to require investigation by arteriography. In these patients, the coronary arteriogram was normal but ventriculography showed hypertrophy of the walls of the left ventricle of restrictive or obstructive type. These appearances were confirmed by echocardiography which also showed hypertrophy of the septum and, in certain cases, confirmed the involvement of the ventricle, while by contrast the electrocardiogram and radiological appearances of the heart were essentially normal. The beta-blockers may have an important part to play in such conditions, and echocardiography is suggested as part of the routine investigation in cases of hypertension.