Arterial Hypertension and Cardiopulmonary Function: The Value of a Combined Cardiopulmonary and Echocardiography...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Hypertension Research

Background:

• Arterial hypertension (AH) is a leading global mortality risk factor.
• AH-associated hemodynamic and neurohormonal changes drive cardiac remodeling, potentially leading to heart failure (HF).
• The transition from AH to HF involves complex, not fully understood, pathophysiological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the utility of the combined cardiopulmonary-echocardiography stress test (CPET-ESE) in characterizing hypertensive patients.
• To explore how CPET-ESE can identify early alterations in the cardiovascular continuum from AH to HF.
• To highlight the potential of CPET-ESE for improved risk stratification and tailored treatment in AH.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing CPET-ESE as a non-invasive tool to assess cardiovascular response to exercise.
• Differentiating central and peripheral cardiovascular maladaptations during stress.
• Identifying subclinical alterations in hypertensive patients that may not be apparent at rest.

Main Results:

• CPET-ESE can detect early-stage HF alterations in AH patients.
• The test reveals exercise-induced cardiovascular changes, offering insights into AH-to-HF transition mechanisms.
• Subclinical changes identified by CPET-ESE can inform risk stratification.

Conclusions:

• CPET-ESE is valuable for characterizing hypertensive patients across the cardiovascular continuum.
• Early detection of exercise-related alterations can improve risk assessment for HF development.
• This approach may facilitate novel preventive strategies and personalized medical treatments for AH.