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Association between self-reported hypertension onset age and electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy

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.

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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).

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Correspondence to Arttu O. Lehtonen.

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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

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