Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy during antihypertensive treatment.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is a risk factor for cardiovascular events and stroke. It has been demonstrated that the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (evaluated by 12-lead electrocardiography and by echocardiography) during antihypertensive treatment is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality and may thus improve the prognosis. Black people run a disproportionately high risk of developing essential arterial hypertension which frequently results in end organ damage, including left ventricular hypertrophy, haemorrhagic stroke and renal failure. We report a case of significant regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in a sub-Saharan African patient, during antihypertensive treatment.