Response of the Myocardium to Hypertrophic Conditions in the Adult Population

Hypertension and aortic stenosis are the two leading conditions that cause thickening of the heart muscles (left ventricular hypertrophy). Left ventricular hypertrophy is initially adaptive to maintain optimal heart function. Ultimately, heart failure occurs as a result of progressive muscle cell death and scarring (myocardial fibrosis). Dedicated techniques using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and novel high-sensitivity cardiac troponin blood assays are potential markers to detect myocardial fibrosis. Although hypertension-related heart disease is very common in Singapore, the significance of myocardial fibrosis is not well understood. In this study, the significance of myocardial fibrosis in 2000 patients with hypertension would be investigated. This will be the largest study using state-of-the-art MRI to examine the importance of myocardial fibrosis in hypertensive heart disease. 1000 participants, with at least 1 year follow-up, will be invited for a repeat assessment.