Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Heart Disease: Association with C’inical Ischemic Heart Disease and Left Ventricular Disease

Abstract

SUMMARY: 12 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (pulmonary emphysema 5, chronic bronc hitic 5 and pulmonary interstitial fibrosis 2) have been described. One case presented an unusual feature of left ventricular hvpertrophv associated with angina. pectoris without. hypert ension, 2 cases had hypertension without left ventricular hypertrophy, three cases showed underlying ischaemic heart disease, five had associated supraventricular tachycardia and one junctional tachycardia. Hypoxia has been sugg ested in the literature as a most likely mechanism in the initiation of coronary artery disease, arrhythmogenesis, left ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary hypertension. Experimentally, hypoxia initiates the dysfunction of “sodium pump” mechanism leading to swollen cells of myocardium ;ind endothelial cells damage and deposition of cholesterol on the surface of damaged endothelial cells. Anaerobic g’lycolysis produces very low energy which i insufficient for the metabolism of cells. Hypoxia may further enhance production of catecholamines initiating systemic hypertension and catecholamine cardiomyopathy.