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Correlation between diastolic impairment and lipid metabolism in mild-to-moderate hypertensive postmenopausal women

Pasquale Palmiero1, Maria Maiello, Andrea Passantino

  • 1ASL BR/1, Brindisi, Italy. pasquale.palmiero@tin.it

American Journal of Hypertension
|July 18, 2002
PubMed

Insights

In hypertensive postmenopausal women, high total cholesterol and low HDL are linked to impaired diastolic function. These findings highlight lipid profiles as key indicators of cardiac health in this demographic.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Hypertension is frequently associated with various cardiovascular risk factors.
  • Postmenopausal women with hypertension often exhibit cardiac abnormalities, including diastolic dysfunction and left ventricular hypertrophy.
  • Understanding the interplay between hypertension, cardiac structure/function, and metabolic factors is crucial for cardiovascular risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between cardiac abnormalities (diastolic function and left ventricular hypertrophy) and cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women with hypertension.
  • To identify specific lipid profile parameters associated with diastolic dysfunction in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 200 postmenopausal women with mild-to-moderate, untreated hypertension.
  • Utilized M-mode two-dimensional echocardiography and cardiac Doppler to assess left ventricular diastolic function (E/Ac ratio) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI).
  • Measured serum lipid profiles (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides) and other cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, BMI, smoking status).

Main Results:

  • A significant negative correlation was observed between diastolic function (E/Ac) and total cholesterol (r = -0.15, P < .05) and LDL cholesterol (r = -0.20, P = .005).
  • A significant positive correlation was found between diastolic function (E/Ac) and HDL cholesterol (r = 0.20, P < .01).
  • No significant correlation was found between LVMI and any of the analyzed variables, nor between E/A and other risk factors besides lipids.

Conclusions:

  • In postmenopausal women with hypertension, impaired diastolic function is associated with unfavorable lipid profiles, specifically high total and LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol.
  • Lipid management may be an important target for improving diastolic function in hypertensive postmenopausal women.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the causal mechanisms and long-term implications.
Abstract

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