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Question:
Is there a medication that will specifically address ventricular hypertrophy, apart from antihypertensives?
My echo shows mild thickening of the muscle due to high blood pressure. Will my doctor give me medication for this? I am already on a bp pill.
submitted by Chloe from Virginia on 9/4/2014
Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiologist, Michael J. Mihalick, MD
Dear Chloe:
The changes on your echocardiogram reflect the heart's response to pumping against an increase resistance. If the amount of hypertrophy is limited, it should create no problems. When we are in doubt about whether or not to treat borderline or labile hypertension, these changes on the echo indicate the average pressures have been too high and require treatment.
An echocardiogram such as you describe is a strong indication that your blood pressure needs to be adequately treated and monitored to prevent further changes. In some cases the hypertrophy may regress. The primary goal is to keep it from getting worse.
There is no specific drug that will address the hypertrophy. We need to treat the cause.
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Updated September 2014
