THE CHEST RADIOGRAPH: AN UNDERUTILISED INVESTIGATION IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Abstract
The chest radiograph is an important investigation in the evaluation of patients with cardiovascular disease. Yet major hypertension guidelines do not mention the chest radiograph as a useful investigation of patients with hypertension. In this review it will be shown that that increased cardiothoracic ratio and dilatation of the aortic knob (> 3.6 cm) predict target organ damage in hypertensive patients. The chest radiograph may also provide information regarding the presence of coarctation of the aorta, aortic calcification and early cardiac failure.

Key words
Chest radiograph, aortic dilatation, target organ damage

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