Left ventricular and left atrial function in patients with borderline and established hypertension.

Abstract

To evaluate left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) function in patients with borderline and established hypertension, 7 indexes of LV systolic function (cardiac index, end-diastolic volume index, ejection fraction, LV network, mean VCF, Vmax and peak dp/dt), 7 indexes of LV diastolic properties (specific compliance, LV mass index, LV wall thickness, stiffness constant, time constant T, end-diastolic pressure and peak negative dp/dt) and 3 indexes of LA function (volume index, chamber stiffness constant and muscle stiffness constant), all obtained form the data of cardiac catheterization and cineangiogram, were analyzed in patients with normotension (N, n=12), borderline hypertension (BH, n=13) and established hypertension (EH, n=17). LV systolic function was not impaired in the BH and EH groups. In the BH group, LV diastolic function was not affected, but LV wall thickness and stiffness constant were significantly greater in the EH group than in the N group. There was no significant difference in LA volume index among the 3 groups, but a significant increase of LA chamber stiffness constant was found only in the EH group as compared to the values of the N group. On the other hand, LA muscle stiffness constant was significantly greater in the BH group than in the N group, and significantly greater in the EH group than in the BH group. From these results it seemed that LV systolic and diastolic functions were not impaired in patients with borderline hypertension, and that LV systolic function was not affected, but LV diastolic function was possibly impaired in patients with established hypertension. Moreover, it was suggested that LA compliance was impaired already not only in patients with established hypertension, but also in patients with borderline hypertension.