Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Assessment
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a thickening of the heart's main pumping chamber (the left ventricle). It is a finding your clinician identifies from a heart tracing (ECG) or imaging, not a single laboratory measurement.
["LVH means the left ventricle of the heart has thickened, and it is typically detected by ECG or imaging rather than a blood test."]
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 72070-6
- Short code
- LEFTVENTRICULARHYPERTROPHY
- Synonyms
- —
- Category
- chemistry
- Sample
- serum
- Container
- Red-top tube (SST)
- Units
- N/A
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- 18–65 years
- Specimen volume
- 5 mL
- Stability
- Room temperature: 4h, Refrigerated: 24h, Frozen: 7d
- Hemolysis max
- 500
- Lipemia max
- 1000
- Icterus max
- 500
- TAT
- 4–24 hours
- Order
- routine
What Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Means
The left ventricle is the chamber that pumps oxygen-rich blood out to the body. In left ventricular hypertrophy, the muscular wall of this chamber becomes thicker than normal. This thickening is the heart's response to working harder over time, and it can be a sign of an underlying condition that your clinician will evaluate.
How It Is Detected
LVH is usually identified from an electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the heart's electrical activity, or from imaging such as an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to show the heart's structure. Blood tests may be ordered alongside these tests to look for conditions that can contribute to or accompany LVH.
Possible Causes
Common contributors include long-standing high blood pressure, which forces the heart to pump against greater resistance, and other conditions that increase the workload on the heart. Your clinician will consider your history, physical exam, and test results together to identify the cause.
What to Expect
If LVH is suspected or found, your clinician may recommend additional evaluation and monitoring and will discuss steps to protect heart health. Follow-up testing and management are tailored to the underlying cause and to your individual situation.
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
LVH is a structural finding rather than a laboratory analyte, so it has no numeric reference range of its own. It is clinically significant because it can reflect sustained pressure or volume load on the heart and is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Identifying and managing the underlying cause, such as high blood pressure, is a central part of care, and decisions about testing and treatment should be made with your clinician.
Short name
LVH Assessment
Frequently asked questions
Is left ventricular hypertrophy a blood test result?
Can left ventricular hypertrophy be reversed?
What should I do if my test report mentions LVH?
Sources
- 1
- 2Lab Tests OnlineSource
- 3
Click any link to access the full source. PubMed Central (PMC) links provide free full-text access.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 16, 2026. · Read our editorial policy