[Central hemodynamics and cerebrovascular disorders in patients with idiopathic arterial hypotension]

A total of 65 patients (mean age 40.2 +/- 8.1 yr) with neurologic and neuropsychological disorders associated with long-term idiopathic arterial hypotension (IAH) were studied to estimate the state of their central blood circulation. Neuropsychological conditions were estimated from the state of higher psychic functions, such as memory speech, gnosis, praxis, cognition, attention, counting, writing, and reading abilities. Central hemodynamics was studied by 24 hr monitoring arterial pressure and echocardiography. Group 1 included patients without neurologic problems (n = 19), group 2 consisted of patients with early manifestations of chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency (n = 46, 71%). They were older than patients of group 1 and had a long history of IAH. It was shown that most patients presented with stably reduced systolic and diastolic AP and non-dipper type of low 24-hour SAD index. The cardiac index was elevated due to increased left ventricular ejection fraction (group 1) or increased heart rate (group 2). The severity of neuropsychic disorder was negatively related to SAD and DAD indices and positively to systolic hypotension time.