Echocardiographic and haemodynamic investigations of heart function in hypertension

In 30 male hypertensive patients (mean age 46 +/- 7 years), WHO stage I-III, the end-diastolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAEDP) as indicator of the left ventricular filling pressure was compared with echocardiographic parametres using the time-motion technique. Group A (without increased PAEDP) revealed significantly different mean values of the mean velocity of circumferential fibre shortening (mVCF) and the mitral closure rate in comparison to Group B (with increased PAEDP), indicating a reduced left ventricular performance in Group B even at rest. This is in accordance with a (insignificantly) lower ejection fraction and with higher mitral septal separation (E IVS) values and with more exercise ECG results indicating ischaemia in Group B.