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Relation between aortic stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or

M Eren1, S Gorgulu, N Uslu

  • 1Siyami Ersek Cardiothoracic Surgery Center, Cardiology Department, Istanbul, Turkey.

Heart (British Cardiac Society)
|December 17, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Aortic stiffness increases in patients with hypertension or diabetes, even without coronary artery disease. This aortic stiffness is linked to impaired left ventricular diastolic function in these individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Clinical Physiology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • Hypertension and diabetes are prevalent conditions associated with cardiovascular complications.
  • Aortic function plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health and can be affected by systemic diseases.
  • Understanding the interplay between aortic stiffness and diastolic dysfunction is vital for managing patients with these comorbidities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate aortic function, specifically aortic strain and distensibility, in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both.
  • To determine the relationship between aortic stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function in these patient groups.
  • To exclude the confounding factor of coronary artery disease in the study population.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study design was employed, including healthy controls and patient groups with hypertension, diabetes, and combined hypertension and diabetes.
  • Aortic diameters were measured using echocardiography, and blood pressure was recorded via sphygmomanometry to calculate aortic strain and distensibility.
  • Coronary artery disease was ruled out in all participants to isolate the effects of hypertension and diabetes on aortic function.

Main Results:

  • Patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both exhibited significantly reduced aortic strain and distensibility compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001).
  • Multivariate analysis revealed that aortic distensibility was the primary parameter associated with deceleration time, a measure of diastolic function, in both control and patient groups (p < 0.009).
  • Aortic distensibility remained the strongest predictor of diastolic function even when accounting for the study group.

Conclusions:

  • Increased aortic stiffness is a significant finding in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes, independent of coronary artery disease.
  • Aortic stiffness is closely associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes.
  • These findings highlight the importance of assessing aortic stiffness in the management of patients with these metabolic and vascular conditions.
Abstract

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