Abstract
Objectively defined early-onset hypertension, based on repeated blood pressure measurements, is associated with greater odds of organ damage and cardiovascular mortality than late-onset hypertension. In this study we examined the association between two factors that are easily available in primary care, self-reported hypertension onset age and electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (ECG-LVH), in a nationwide population sample of 2864 Finns aged ≥50 years. We observed that, in contrast to prior findings, the odds of ECG-LVH were similar between self-reported hypertension onset age groups, and thus self-reported early-onset hypertension does not seem to associate with ECG-LVH more strongly than simple presence of hypertension.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles
$119.00 per year
only $9.92 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to the full article PDF.
USD 39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Buck C, Baker P, Bass M, Donner A. The prognosis of hypertension according to age at onset. Hypertension. 1987;9:204–8.
Niiranen TJ, McCabe EL, Larson MG, Henglin M, Lakdawala NK, Vasan RS, et al. Heritability and risks associated with early onset hypertension: multigenerational, prospective analysis in the Framingham Heart Study. BMJ. 2017;357:j1949.
Niiranen TJ, Larson MG, McCabe EL, Xanthakis V, Vasan RS, Cheng S. Prognosis of prehypertension without progression to hypertension. Circulation. 2017;136:1262–4.
Suvila K, McCabe EL, Lehtonen A, Ebinger JE, Lima JAC, Cheng S, et al. Early onset hypertension is associated with hypertensive end-organ damage already by midLife. Hypertension. 2019; https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13069.
Wang C, Yuan Y, Zheng M, Pan A, Wang M, Zhao M, et al. Association of age of onset of hypertension with cardiovascular diseases and mortality. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020;75:2921–30.
Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W, Agabiti Rosei E, Azizi M, Burnier M, et al. 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension: The Task Force for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Hypertension. J Hypertens. 2018;36:1953–2041.
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management (NICE guideline 136). 2016; https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136. Accessed 20 Aug 2020.
Heistaro S. Methodology Report. The Health 2000 Survey. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe201204193320; Helsinki, Finland: National Public Health Institute; 2008.
Okin PM, Devereux RB, Jern S, Kjeldsen SE, Julius S, Nieminen MS, et al. Regression of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy by losartan versus atenolol: the Losartan Intervention for Endpoint reduction in Hypertension (LIFE) Study. Circulation. 2003;108:684–90.
Levy D, Labib SB, Anderson KM, Christiansen JC, Kannel WB, Castelli WP. Determinants of sensitivity and specificity of electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy. Circulation. 1990;81:815–20.
Suvila K, McCabe EL, Lima JAC, Aittokallio J, Yano Y, Cheng S, et al. Self-reported age of hypertension onset and hypertension-mediated organ damage in middle-aged individuals. Am J Hypertens. 2020; https://doi.org/10.1093/ajh/hpaa055.
Working group appointed by the Finnish Hypertension Society. Hypertension. Current Care Guideline. Duodecim. 2002;118:110–26.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful for the valuable contributions of the investigators, staff, and participants of the Health 2000 survey.
Funding
AOL was supported by grants from the Uulo Arhio Fund, the Ida Montin Foundation, and the Betania Foundation. KS was supported by grants from the Aarne Koskelo Foundation, the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research and the Finnish Medical Foundation. TJN was supported by grants from the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, the Paavo Nurmi Foundation, the Finnish Medical Foundation, and the Academy of Finland (no: 321351).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lehtonen, A.O., Suvila, K., Jula, A.M. et al. Association between self-reported hypertension onset age and electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy. J Hum Hypertens 35, 479–482 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-020-00428-w
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-020-00428-w