Hypertension and hypertrophic subaortic stenosis

In eight patients hypertension coexisted with hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, in every instance documented hypertension preceding any clinical evidence of muscular subaortic stenosis. In seven patients complete cardiac catheterization demonstrated typical hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. In the one patient not catheterized, the clinical picture and postmortem findings demonstrated muscular subaortic stenosis. Obstruction of the outflow tract became clinically evident during treatment for hypertension or during periods of extreme lability of the blood pressure. Amyl nitrite was useful in making the diagnosis, especially when the blood pressure was elevated.