HYPERTENSION IS ASSOCIATED WITH MORE ABNORMAL LEFT VENTRICULAR GEOMETRY AND SYSTOLIC MYOCARDIAL DYSFUNCTION IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY

Abstract

Objective: To study the impact of hypertension on left ventricular (LV) geometry and systolic myocardial function in women and men with increased body mass index (BMI), but without known cardiovascular disease.Design and method: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 535 participants (59% women) in the the FAT associated CardiOvasculaR dysfunction (FATCOR) study. Hypertension was defined as use of antihypertensive treatment or elevated 24-hour blood pressure. Abnormal LV geometry was identified as increased relative wall thickness or LV mass index by echocardiography. Systolic myocardial function was assessed by speckle tracking global longitudinal strain (GLS) and stress-corrected midwall shortening (scMWS). Obesity was defined as a BMI 30.0 kg/m2 or larger. Results: Hypertension was associated with older age, higher GLS, lower scMWS and higher prevalences of obesity and abnormal LV geometry (all p < 0.01) (Table). In multivariable regression analyses, hypertension was associated with higher (less negative) GLS (β=-0.16, p = 0.001), lower scMWS (β=-0.12, p = 0.009) and prevalent abnormal LV geometry (odds ratio 1.60 {95% confidence interval 1.01–2.53}, p = 0.047) independent of presence of obesity and older age. Conclusions: In women and men with increased BMI without known cardiovascular disease, hypertension was associated with more abnormal LV geometry and impaired systolic myocardial function.