[Detection of cardiac risk in hypertensive patients with left heart hypertrophy].

Arterial hypertension is a consistent and modifiable cause of cardiovascular disease. The risk is further increased by left ventricular hypertrophy as an independent contributor to these cardiovascular events. However, the incidence of coronary mortality and sudden death could not be reduced by antihypertensive drug therapy. It seems possible that there is a subgroup of patients with arterial hypertension with excess risk associated with increased left ventricular mass, ventricular arrhythmias, and silent myocardial ischemia. These patients could be detected by a more developed diagnostic approach using echocardiography, 24-h ECG, and noninvasive 24-h blood-pressure measurement.