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Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Echocardiographic Assessment Using Subxiphoid-Only Examination for Hypotensive Patients
Published on: April 18, 2025
Role of echocardiography in clinical hypertension
Jae-Hwan Lee1, Jae-Hyeong Park1
1Department of Cardiology in Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
Insights
Hypertension diagnosis and cardiovascular risk assessment are crucial. Echocardiography, including advanced techniques, helps identify poor prognosis in hypertensive patients by evaluating heart structure and function.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Hypertension is a significant, modifiable cardiovascular risk factor.
- Accurate diagnosis and risk stratification are vital for effective hypertension management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the role of echocardiography in assessing cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients.
- To discuss both conventional and advanced echocardiographic techniques.
Main Methods:
- Review of echocardiographic findings in hypertension.
- Inclusion of conventional echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging, 3D echocardiography, and strain echocardiography.
Main Results:
- Echocardiography reveals indicators of poor prognosis in hypertension, such as increased left ventricular mass and impaired function.
- Advanced echocardiographic methods offer detailed insights into cardiac status.
Conclusions:
- Understanding echocardiographic parameters is essential for diagnosing hypertension and assessing cardiovascular risk.
- Echocardiography provides critical prognostic information for hypertensive individuals.
Abstract:
Hypertension is a major and correctable cardiovascular risk factor. The correct diagnosis of hypertension and precise assessment of cardiovascular risk are essential to give proper treatment in patients with hypertension. Although echocardiography is the second-line study in the evaluation of hypertensive patients, it gives many clues suggesting bad prognosis associated with hypertension, including increased left ventricular (LV) mass, decreased LV systolic function, impaired LV diastolic function, and increased left atrial size and decreased function. Along with conventional echocardiographic methods, tissue Doppler imaging, three-dimensional echocardiography, and strain echocardiography are newer echocardiographic modalities in the evaluation of hypertensive patients in the current echocardiographic laboratories. Understanding conventional and newer echocardiographic parameters is important in the diagnosis and assessment of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients.
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Preparation of Equipment:
Special considerations while measuring blood pressure
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.

