Left ventricular diastolic function in hypertension: relation to left ventricular mass and systolic function

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Hypertension Research
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Diastolic cardiac function abnormalities in hypertension precede systolic changes.
• Left ventricular filling rate is an early indicator of diastolic dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between hypertension, left ventricular mass, and impaired left ventricular filling.
• To determine the correlation between diastolic dysfunction and systolic performance in hypertensive patients.

Main Methods:

• M-mode echocardiography, radionuclide first pass technique, and gated blood pool scintigraphy were used.
• Three groups were studied: normal subjects, hypertensive patients without left ventricular hypertrophy, and hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.

Main Results:

• Systolic function indexes were similar across all groups.
• Maximal left ventricular filling rate and fast filling fraction decreased progressively with increasing left ventricular mass.
• Diastolic dysfunction was statistically significant in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.

Conclusions:

• Hypertension, particularly with left ventricular hypertrophy, leads to impaired left ventricular diastolic filling.
• Left ventricular maximal filling rate is inversely related to left ventricular mass and end-systolic diameter.
• Diastolic dysfunction in hypertension is not correlated with systolic performance but with structural changes.