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Relationship between diastolic function and coronary artery calcification in hypertensive patients

Sekip Altunkan1, Nur Kayatürk, Canan Celik

  • 1Metropol Medical Centre, Hypertension Division, Ankara, Turkey. saltunkan@superonline.com

Blood Pressure Monitoring
|May 3, 2013
PubMed

Insights

In hypertensive patients, coronary artery calcification (CAC) does not impact diastolic function. However, left ventricular hypertrophy is linked to impaired diastolic function in these individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Hypertension Research
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Essential hypertension frequently involves impaired diastolic function and increased left ventricular mass, potentially early in disease progression.
  • Hypertensive patients often exhibit early signs of diastolic dysfunction and left ventricular hypertrophy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between diastolic function parameters and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in patients with hypertension.
  • To explore how diastolic function and left ventricular mass are associated with CAC in hypertensive individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated 128 asymptomatic hypertensive patients (58 women, 70 men) using echocardiography.
  • Assessed diastolic function via E/A ratio, deceleration time, and isovolumic relaxation time.
  • Classified patients based on the presence of CAC and left ventricular hypertrophy.

Main Results:

  • Diastolic function parameters (E/A ratio, deceleration time, isovolumic relaxation time) did not significantly differ between patients with and without CAC.
  • A significant correlation was found between the presence of CAC and increased left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (P=0.019).
  • Multivariate analysis in CAC+ patients revealed inverse relationships between E/A ratio and age, blood pressure, pulse pressure, and LVMI; LVMI was the strongest determinant (R=0.26, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Coronary artery calcification (CAC) does not appear to directly affect diastolic function in hypertensive patients.
  • Left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with impaired diastolic function in hypertensive patients, independent of CAC.
  • LVMI is a significant predictor of diastolic dysfunction (E/A ratio) in hypertensive patients with CAC.
Abstract

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