[Clinico-hemodynamic characteristics of patients with initial signs of hypertension]

Multifactor analysis was used to make clinical and hemodynamic comparisons in 42 patients with borderline arterial hypertension, 27 with Stage I hypertension, 40 with Stage II hypertension, and 40 healthy persons. Central hemodynamic parameters at rest and during graded bicycle ergometer exercise were measured by the Defares carbon dioxide return respiration method modified by V. L. Karpman. As compared with patients with hyperkinetic circulation, those with hypokinetic one were older, had a longer history of arterial hypertension, obesity, more common left ventricular hypertrophy, higher baseline diastolic pressures and total peripheral vascular resistance, less increase in cardiac index and greater enhancement of total peripheral vascular resistance during submaximal exercise. There was a clear-cut correlation between the progression of arterial hypertension and increase in values of factors I (clinical and hemodynamic) and III (cardiotonic).