Rapid ventricular filling in left ventricular hypertrophy: II. Pathologic hypertrophy

Changes of left ventricular remodeling due to increased afterload in patients with essential hypertension

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether afterload mismatch occurs during the initial stage of essential hypertension (EHT). Additionally, critical left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) between preserved and reduced systolic functions in hypertension is also unclear. Thus, we aimed to clarify these points.

METHODS

Forty-five normal control subjects (NCS) and 140 EHT patients participated. EHT patients were subdivided into three groups: group I, without LVH (n = 37); group II, with LVH (n = 80); and group III, with LVH and LV heart failure (LVHF) (n = 23). Routine electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters, V5R/V6R ratio, relative wall thickness (RWT), LV mass (LVM) index, and peak systolic wall stress (PSWS) were measured.

RESULTS

In group I, LV systolic functions were preserved despite the increase of PSWS. In group II, LVH advanced, but LV systolic functions remained normal. A negative T-wave was observed in 69% of group II and 100% of group III. A significant correlation between RWT and LVM index was seen in NCS and groups I and II (r² = 0.545, P < 0.0001) but not in group III. Afterload mismatch occurred in group III due to the decrease in V5R/V6R ratio, the increase of LV end-diastolic dimension, and the LV systolic dysfunctions, which are caused by exhaustion of preload reserve. The boundary of the LVM index between groups II and III was approximately 180 g/m².

CONCLUSION

Afterload mismatch did not occur in group I, but it was observed in group III due to the exhaustion of preload reserve.

Updated Blood Pressure Guidelines: Implications for Athletes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the prevalence, short- and long-term impact of exercise on blood pressure, and the evaluation and treatment of hypertension in competitive athletes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Due, in part, to inconsistencies in measurement and the definitions used, the true prevalence of hypertension is unknown as reports range from 0 to 83%. With recent changes in the blood pressure guidelines, the proportion of athletes that meet criteria for elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension has increased dramatically with over one-third of collegiate and professional athletes meeting criteria for hypertension. Data consistently show that American-style football players, particularly linemen, display the highest rates of hypertension. These athletes typically have a larger body mass index, higher body fat percentage, and weight gain in serial follow-up. Many athletes with hypertension have traditional risk factors, and, to date, there is no evidence of a causal relationship between long-term sport participation and increased risk of developing hypertension. Many more athletes now meet criteria for hypertension, given the updated blood pressure guidelines. This should be taken as an opportunity for early intervention, as athletes are not immune to the development of cardiovascular risk factors and disease.

Congestive heart failure with normal ejection fraction

Clinicians must remain undaunted when history, physical examination, and chest radiography suggest congestive heart failure but left ventricular systolic function is normal. Many of these patients have diastolic dysfunction, and standard therapy for left ventricular systolic dysfunction is often ineffectual or detrimental. Noninvasive testing is subject to many pitfalls but may confirm a clinical suspicion and provide indications to treat or to proceed with invasive testing. In the absence of clinical signs and symptoms of congestive failure, however, abnormal diastolic indexes should not be interpreted as diagnostic of diastolic dysfunction and are not an indication to treat.

Atrial fibrillation in essential hypertension: an issue of concern

Many clinical studies indicate that atrial fibrillation is closely related to hypertension. Atrial fibrillation is not only associated with the level of blood pressure (BP) but also with the circadian rhythms of BP. However, the underlying mechanisms of atrial fibrillation in essential hypertension patients remain largely unknown. Hypertension may facilitate the onset and persistence of atrial fibrillation by stretch-induced changes in the repolarization of atrial myocytes (triggers of atrial fibrillation) and atrial remodeling (structural and electrical remodeling). Importantly, the effects of hypertension on atrial fibrillation are progressive. These progressive anatomic, functional, electrophysiological and structural changes occur at different times. This characterization of the time course of atrial changes presents an intervention window before remodeling progresses to changes that are difficult to reverse. Given that the medium to long-term efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs has proved poor, it is essential to seek new therapies to prevent the onset of atrial fibrillation and to effectively control recurrences of atrial fibrillation. The study of nonantiarrhythmic drugs that act on the atrial remodeling that constitutes the substrate of the arrhythmia is a new and very interesting field of research. Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors angiotension-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) seems more promising. However, from recent trials, only hypertension with structural heart disease, left ventricular dysfunction and left ventricular hypertrophy benefit from ACEIs and ARBs. This article reviews many aspects of atrial fibrillatio in essential hypertension patients to provide the foundation of atrial fibrillatio treatment.

The causes, consequences, and treatment of left or right heart failure

Chronic heart failure (HF) is a cardiovascular disease of cardinal importance because of several factors: a) an increasing occurrence due to the aging of the population, primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events, and modern advances in therapy, b) a bad prognosis: around 65% of patients are dead within 5 years of diagnosis, c) a high economic cost: HF accounts for 1% to 2% of total health care expenditure. This review focuses on the main causes, consequences in terms of morbidity, mortality and costs and treatment of HF.

Can an elderly woman's heart be too strong? Increased mortality with high versus normal ejection fraction after an acute coronary syndrome. The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in women. We sought to validate previous clinical experience in which we have observed that elderly women with a very high left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are at increased risk of death compared with elderly women with acute coronary syndromes with a normal LVEF.

METHODS

Data from 5,127 elderly female patients (age >65 years) enrolled in the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events were collected. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on their LVEF: group I had a low ejection fraction (<55%), group II had a normal ejection fraction (55%-65%), and group III had a high ejection fraction (>65%). χ² test and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed. The main outcome measures were death in-hospital and death, stroke, rehospitalization, and myocardial infarction at 6-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Hospital mortality was 12% in group I. Patients in group III were more likely to die in-hospital than those in group II (P = .003). Multivariable logistic regression showed that high ejection fraction was an independent predictor of hospital death (odds ratio [OR] 2.5, 95% CI [CI] 1.2-5.2, P = .01), 6-month death (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.4, P = .01), and cardiac arrest/ventricular fibrillation (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-5.0, P = .01) compared with the normal ejection fraction group.

CONCLUSIONS

Having a very high LVEF (> 65%) is associated with worse survival and higher rates of sudden cardiac death than an LVEF considered to be in the reference range.

Multi-modality imaging of diastolic function

Non-invasive evaluation of diastolic function continues to play a critical role in furthering our understanding of diastole, improving the diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction, evaluating left ventricular filling pressures, and providing important prognostic information for patients with heart failure. Echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance, and nuclear cardiology each provide important tools for evaluating diastolic performance. This review will focus on the techniques from multiple cardiovascular imaging modalities which have been used for the clinical assessment of diastolic function.

WITHDRAWN: Left atrial function and arterial hypertension

Left atrial enlargement is frequently observed in many cardiac diseases. One of the main determinants of left atrial size is ventricular diastolic function. It has recently been suggested that left atrial volume might be the morphophysiologic expression of long-term modifications induced by diastolic function. Furthermore, left ventricular remodelling, such as it happens in hypertensive patients, is another important determinant of atrial volume. All the volumetric modifications of the left atrium, during cardiac cycle, are involved in hypertensive damage. Therefore, left atrial function impairment represents the result of morphological and haemodynamic alterations observed in hypertension. Actually, many techniques, invasive and non-invasive, are available with the purpose to investigate the real atrial dimensions and provide a suitable assessment of atrial function. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the degree of left atrial enlargement is associated with adverse prognosis in different clinical setting. The predictive value of left atrial volume seems to be independent of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, but the use of left atrial volume for risk stratification is yet an evolving science: more data are required with respect to the natural history of left atrial remodelling in disease, the degree of left atrial modifiability with therapy and whether regression of left atrial size translates into improved cardiovascular outcome.Journal of Human Hypertension advance online publication, 14 August 2008; doi:10.1038/jhh.2008.96.

Heart failure in the twenty-first century: is it a coronary artery disease or hypertension problem?

Hypertension and coronary disease are major risk factors for the incidence and progression of heart failure. These two risk factors frequently coexist, and have additive and synergistic effects that promote both left ventricular remodeling and heart failure in the general population. The relative contributions of these two risk factors to heart failure burden in the community may vary based on age, gender, and race. In general, attribution of heart failure in the community to solely one of these two risk factors is inappropriate. Prevention of both hypertension and coronary disease is important for preventing heart failure in the twenty-first century.

[Characteristics of hypertensive cardiomyopathy in a population of hypertensive patients never treated]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Although impaired diastolic function is frequently found in systemic hypertension, the diagnosis of hypertensive heart disease (HHD) is based on the demonstration of left ventricular (LV) growth. The aim of the current work was to investigate the potential interactions between diastolic function and LV growth in patients with arterial hypertension.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

One hundred and sixteen never-treated asymptomatic hypertensives underwent an echocardiographic evaluation. Classification of diastolic dysfunction (DD) was based on alterations in parameters assessing transmitral inflow, Doppler tissue imaging of mitral annular motion, and color M-mode propagation velocity. Classification of LV growth was based on alterations in left ventricular mass index and/or relative will thickness.

RESULTS

Ninety-four patients (81%) exhibited DD and 22 (19%) exhibited normal diastolic function. Amongst patients with DD, 79 (84%) exhibited a pattern of impaired relaxation and 15 (16%) a pseudonormal pattern. The presence of LV growth was documented in 41% of patients without DD and 75% of patients with DD (p < 0.05). None of the studied patients exhibited echocardiographic signs of systolic dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that DD is an early and highly frequent cardiac alteration in arterial hypertension. In addition, our data show that one fifth of hypertensive patients have DD in the absence of LV growth. It is thus suggested that the diagnosis of HHD can not be further based exclusively on morphologic criteria and should include also the evaluation of alterations in LV filling.

Cardiac remodeling in systemic hypertension

Experimental and clinical studies provide evidence that hypertension is causally related to adverse cardiac structural changes, such as LA enlargement, LV hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis, and functional changes inclusive of LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction. These changes are induced by both hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic factors. There is accumulating evidence from several small and large clinical trials that various classes of antihypertensive therapy prevent and regress LVH and myocardial fibrosis. Prevention and reversal of LVH are associated with an improvement in cardiac function and with a decline in risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Prevention of LVH should be a priority in subjects with hypertension. In patients with hypertensive heart disease, the components of therapy must comprise optimization of BP and regression of LVH. Future targets of therapy in hypertensive heart disease may include regression of myocardial fibrosis, normalization of LA size, and improvement in LV diastolic function.

Assessment of Global and Regional Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Hypertensive Heart Disease Using Automated Border Detection Techniques

Acoustic quantification (AQ) and color kinesis (CK) are techniques that involve automated detection and tracking of endocardial borders. These methods are useful for the evaluation of global and regional left ventricular (LV) systolic function and more recently have been applied to evaluating LV diastolic performance. Assessment of diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive heart disease is a relevant clinical issue in which these techniques have proven useful. The diastolic portion of left atrium and LV AQ area waveforms are frequently abnormal in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Left ventricular AQ curves consistently demonstrate reduced rapid filling fraction (RFF) and peak rapid filling rate (PRFR), elevated atrial filling fraction (AFF), peak atrial filling rate (PAFR), and reductions in the ratio PRFR/PAFR. Acoustic quantification complements traditional Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of global diastolic function. Many patients with significant LVH and normal Doppler diastolic parameters can be identified as having diastolic dysfunction with AQ. In addition, CK has allowed the evaluation of regional diastolic performance in hypertensive patients. Regional filling curves obtained from CK have demonstrated that endocardial diastolic motion is commonly delayed and heterogeneous in patients with LVH.

Atrial fibrillation: hypertension as a causative agent, risk factor for complications, and potential therapeutic target

Atrial fibrillation and hypertension are 2 prevalent, and often coexistent, conditions in the North American population. Their incidence increases with advancing age, and they are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality. Although the relation between the 2 conditions has long been known, the treatment of hypertension is not currently a focus in the clinical management of atrial fibrillation. Hypertension is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, impaired ventricular filling, left atrial enlargement, and slowing of atrial conduction velocity. These changes in cardiac structure and physiology favor the development of atrial fibrillation, and they increase the risk of thromboembolic complications. Conventional therapy of atrial fibrillation has focused on interventions to control heart rate and rhythm and the prevention of stroke through the use of anticoagulant medications. In patients with atrial fibrillation, aggressive treatment of hypertension may reverse the structural changes in the heart, reduce thromboembolic complications, and retard or prevent the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. Specific pharmacotherapy could potentially play a major role in the primary and secondary prevention of atrial fibrillation and its complications.

Left ventricular diastolic function in physiologic and pathologic hypertrophy

BACKGROUND

Patients with hypertensive heart disease and left ventricular hypertrophy demonstrate an impaired left ventricular diastolic filling pattern. The aim of this study was to find out whether physiologic left ventricular hypertrophy induced by endurance training causes disturbances in left ventricular systolic and diastolic filling.

METHODS

We examined 49 athletes with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy due to endurance training, 49 patients with LV hypertrophy due to arterial hypertension, and 26 untrained healthy control subjects by conventional echocardiography. Parameters of LV diastolic filling using pulse wave and color flow Doppler were also assessed.

RESULTS

All three study groups showed normal fractional shortening and mid-wall fractional shortening. Conventional echocardiography revealed a higher LV muscle mass index in the two study groups compared with the controls (athletes, 99 +/- 10 g; hypertensive patients, 95 +/- 11 g: controls: 52 +/- 7 g; P < .01 for athletes and hypertensive patients). In patients with arterial hypertension, a diastolic dysfunction consisting of a delayed relaxation pattern with a decrease in maximal early velocity of diastolic filling (0.44 +/- 0.1 m/sec) and a compensatory increase of the maximal late velocity of diastolic filling (0.53 +/- 0.1 m/sec) was demonstrated. In athletes with physiologic LV hypertrophy, a normal LV diastolic filling pattern was documented.

CONCLUSIONS

Doppler echocardiographic parameters of LV diastolic function can be of diagnostic importance for discrimination between pathologic and physiologic LV hypertrophy.

Behavioral treatment of hypertensive heart disease in African Americans: rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial

African Americans experience higher morbidity and mortality than Whites do as a result of hypertension and associated cardiovascular disease. Chronic psychosocial stress has been considered an important contributing factor to these high rates. The authors describe the rationale and design for a planned randomized controlled trial comparing Transcendental Meditation, a stress-reduction technique, with lifestyle education in the treatment of hypertension and hypertensive heart disease in urban African Americans. They pretested 170 men and women aged 20 to 70 years over a 3-session baseline period, with posttests at 6 months. Outcomes included clinic and ambulatory blood pressure, quality of life, left ventricular mass measured by M-mode echocardiography, left ventricular diastolic function measured by Doppler, and carotid atherosclerosis measured by beta-mode ultrasound. This trial was designed to evaluate the hypothesis that a selected stress reduction technique is effective in reducing hypertension and hypertensive heart disease in African Americans.

Indexes of diastolic RV function: load dependence and changes after chronic RV pressure overload in lambs

Diastolic function is a major determinant of ventricular performance, especially when loading conditions are altered. We evaluated biventricular diastolic function in lambs and studied possible load dependence of diastolic parameters [minimum first derivative of pressure vs. time (dP/dt(min)) and time constant of isovolumic relaxation (tau)] in normal (n = 5) and chronic right ventricular (RV) pressure-overloaded (n = 5) hearts by using an adjustable band on the pulmonary artery (PAB). Pressure-volume relations were measured during preload reduction to obtain the end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship (EDPVR). In normal lambs, absolute dP/dt(min) and tau were lower in the RV than in the left ventricle whereas the chamber stiffness constant (b) was roughly the same. After PAB, RV tau and dP/dt(min) were significantly higher compared with control. The RV EDPVR indicated impaired diastolic function. During acute pressure reduction, both dP/dt(min) and tau showed a relationship with end-systolic pressure. These relationships could explain the increased dP/dt(min) but not the increased tau-value after banding. Therefore, the increased tau after banding reflects intrinsic myocardial changes. We conclude that after chronic RV pressure overload, RV early relaxation is prolonged and diastolic stiffness is increased, both indicative of impaired diastolic function.

Diastolic function in hypertension

Diastolic dysfunction in patients with hypertension may present as asymptomatic findings on noninvasive testing, or as fulminant pulmonary edema, despite normal left ventricular systolic function. Up to 40% of hypertensive patients presenting with clinical signs of congestive heart failure have normal systolic left ventricular function. In this article we review the pathophysiologic factors affecting diastolic function in individuals with diastolic function, current and emerging tools for measuring diastolic function, and current concepts regarding the treatment of patients with diastolic congestive heart failure.

Aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic valve stenosis improves myocardial metabolism and diastolic function

PURPOSE

To evaluate whether functional and metabolic changes recover after aortic valve replacement (AVR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighteen men with aortic valve stenosis (mean pressure gradient +/- SD, 79.9 mm Hg +/- 15.1) underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and phosphorus 31 MR spectroscopy. In nine patients who underwent AVR, MR imaging and spectroscopy were repeated 40 weeks +/- 12 after AVR. Ten age-matched healthy men were control subjects.

RESULTS

Before AVR, the myocardial phosphocreatine (PCr)-to-adenosine triphosphate (ATP) ratio in the 18 patients was 1.24 +/- 0.17 and 1.43 +/- 0.14 in the control group (P <.01). In nine patients who underwent follow-up MR spectroscopy, the ratio increased from 1.28 +/- 0.17 to 1.47 +/- 0.14 (P <.05) following AVR. Before AVR, early acceleration peak corrected for cardiac output was (0.043 +/- 0.008) x 10(-3) sec(-1) in patients and (0.081 +/- 0.033) x 10(-3) sec(-1) in the control group (P <.05). After 40 weeks +/- 12, the mean early acceleration peak corrected for cardiac output in the nine patients increased significantly to (0.055 +/- 0.006) x 10(-3) sec(-1) (P <.05), although it was still significantly lower than that of the control group (P <.05). Before AVR, a significant correlation was found between the myocardial PCr-ATP ratio and left ventricular diastolic function (n = 18; P <.05).

CONCLUSION

Severe aortic valve stenosis leads to a decreased myocardial PCr-ATP ratio and impairment of left ventricular diastolic function; following AVR, the ratio normalizes completely, whereas function improves significantly. There is an association between altered myocardial high-energy phosphate metabolism and impaired left ventricular diastolic function.

Prevalence of isolated left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in hypertension as assessed by combined transmitral and pulmonary vein flow Doppler study

In a relatively large population of patients with treated systemic hypertension and normal left ventricular systolic function, prevalence of abnormalities of left ventricular diastolic function, as assessed by Doppler echocardiographic study of mitral and pulmonary vein flow, was high, with 51% of patients showing indirect signs of increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Furthermore, our data documented that a "normal" mitral flow profile does not exclude the presence of an abnormality of left ventricular filling, which could be otherwise identified by combined analysis of a pulmonary vein flow profile.

Heart rate variability and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with borderline hypertension with and without left ventricular hypertrophy

The relationships between heart rate variability (HRV), left ventricular mass and diastolic function in borderline hypertensive patients (BHT) were evaluated. 24 h Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood pressure (BP) monitoring, M and 2 D echocardiogram and Doppler analysis in 42 BHT with and without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and in 20 normotensive controls were assessed. From 24-h ECG, time domain indexes of HRV were calculated. Standard Deviation of all Cycles (SDNN) and Standard Deviation of the means of heart periods over five-minute intervals (SDANN) were significantly reduced in BHT with LVH but not in BHT without LVH. No significant differences of short-term variability measures were detectable, although a progressive decrease among control subjects and BHT with and without LVH was observed. Diastolic left ventricular compliance evaluated by early to late transmitral flow velocity ratio (E/A ratio) significantly declined from normotensive subjects to BHT with LVH. There was a significant positive correlation between E/A and SDNN and SDANN throughout all studied groups. This indicates that BHT with LVH has a reduced HRV compared to other groups. This impairment is probably related to left ventricular mass and left ventricular filling abnormalities.

Detection of changes in diastolic function by pulmonary venous flow analysis in women athletes

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular cavity dimension, wall thickness, relaxation, and filling increase with exercise training and have a role in enhancing physical performance. We probed whether changes in diastole may develop separately from those in cardiac morphometry and still contribute to improve physical performance. Challenging diastole by preload reduction with standing and integrating mitral flow analysis with the pulmonary venous flow analysis were viewed as a means for detecting fine diastolic variations.

METHODS

Patterns of mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary venous flow were evaluated by echo Doppler imaging in the supine and standing positions in 11 long-distance runner women athletes participating in training programs and having no or very mild cardiac morphologic alterations and were compared with those in 11 healthy women active in daily life not participating in training programs. Maximal exercise tolerance was tested in both groups with a treadmill with use of the standard Bruce protocol.

RESULTS

Echocardiographic left ventricular mass index and mitral and pulmonary flow patterns in athletes and controls were similar while they were supine. Major (P<.01) percent variations and differences between athletes and controls with standing were smaller decrease in right (-12% +/- 5% vs -29% +/- 5%) and left ventricular (-3% +/- 1% vs -9% +/- 2%) dimensions and stroke volume (-7% +/- 4% vs -23% +/- 4%), smaller lengthening of early mitral deceleration (+7% +/- 4% vs +18% +/- 5%), and isovolumic relaxation (-3% +/- 5% vs +15% +/- 7%) times. Athletes showed greater reduction in pulmonary S wave peak velocity (-25% +/- 10% vs -12.5% +/- 7%) and time velocity integral (Si) (-50% +/- 9% vs -21% +/- 8%), greater increases in pulmonary venous diastolic (D) wave peak velocity(+20% +/- 9% vs +12% +/- 10%, meters per second), and time velocity integral (Di) (+81% +/- 16% vs +27% +/- 14%) and greater decrease of S/D(-30% +/- 6% vs -18% +/- 5%) and Si/Di (-70% +/- 10% vs -33% +/- 5%) ratios. At multivariate analysis standing Si/Di was the strongest independent predictor of better exercise tolerance (peak exercise time 1035 +/- 88 sec in athletes, 751 +/- 20 in controls).

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary flow analysis in athletes while standing can detect changes in diastolic function that are dissociated from apparent left ventricular morphologic alterations, are undetected in the supine position, and may, in part, determine exercise performance.

Effects of antihypertensive agents on the left ventricle: clinical implications

Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), alterations of cardiac function, and coronary flow abnormalities. LVH is an independent cardiovascular risk factor related to cardiovascular complications in patients with hypertension. Therefore, a decrease in left ventricular mass is a therapeutic goal in these patients. The effect of the different antihypertensive agents on LVH regression has been studied in nearly 500 clinical trials. Most studies conclude that there is regression of LVH after significant decrease in blood pressure with most commonly prescribed antihypertensive agents. However, the ability to regress LVH is different between antihypertensive drug classes. ACE inhibitors and calcium channel antagonists are more potent in reducing left ventricular mass than beta-blockers, with diuretics falling in the intermediate group. Recent data suggest that angiotensin AT(1) receptor antagonists reduce left ventricular mass to a similar extent as ACE inibitors or calcium channel antagonists. Although a large number of studies have established that reversal of LVH decreases the occurrence of adverse cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension, the hypothesis that LVH regression is beneficial has not yet been conclusively proven. On the other hand, the time has come to revisit the current management of HHD simply focused on controlling blood pressure and reducing left ventricular mass. In fact, it is necessary to develop new approaches aimed to repair myocardial structure and protect myocardial perfusion and function and, in doing so, to reduce in a more effective manner, adverse risk associated with HHD. The identification of genes involved in both the process of HHD and the response to therapy may be critical for the development of these new approaches. This article will review briefly the available data on the effects of antihypertensive agents on HHD. In addition, the emerging new concepts on the pharmacology of hypertensive myocardial remodeling and the pharmacogenetic basis of the treatment of HHD will be also considered.

How should we assess diastolic function in hypertension?

OBJECTIVE

the aim of our study was to assess the relative merits of three indices of diastolic LV function in a group of patients with hypertension and normal systolic function and a group of healthy controls.

DESIGN

In this echocardiographic study, diastolic LV function was assessed by E/A ratio using pulsed Doppler recording and by atrial to total mitral annulus motion (AC) and maximal longitudinal LV relaxation velocity (RVm) by M-mode recordings from apical views. The study took place in the Department of Clinical Physiology in a secondary referral centre. Nineteen consecutive patients with uncomplicated hypertension referred to echocardiographic examination and 20 age- and sex-matched controls were included in the study.

RESULTS

All three measures of diastolic function, E/A ratio, AC and RVm indicated impaired diastolic function in the hypertensive group, compared to the healthy controls. However, E/A ratio and AC showed a considerable overlap between the groups, whereas there was a highly significant difference in RVm between the hypertensive group and the controls, with much less of an overlap.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that of these three indices of diastolic function, RVm may be the most appropriate in patients with hypertension and normal systolic LV function.

Unsolved problems in diastole

It is now recognized that a sizable portion of patients who exhibit symptoms of congestive heart failure have relatively well-preserved systolic function, but have significantly elevated LV filling pressures. This syndrome, termed "diastolic heart failure," is associated with various conditions such as aging, anatomic abnormalities, hypertension, ischemic disease, tachycardia, and atrial fibrillation. Advances in the proper medical and surgical management of these patients will depend on the continued delineation of the basic physiologic mechanisms that account for normal and pathologic cardiac diastolic function. This goal can only be achieved by the integration of information acquired from basic science investigations conducted in vitro and in vivo, mathematic modeling simulation studies, and prospective, community-based investigations that characterize the incidence, prevalence, and natural history of the disease. In addition, randomized clinical trials will be needed to determine the optimal treatment strategies for this group of patients--strategy choices undoubtably complicated by a disease whose treatment is influenced to a large extent by its origin. The future therapies evaluated in these randomized clinical trials will most likely range from medical therapies that target either the heart directly or the peripheral vascular system, to surgical interventions such as direct myocardial revascularization, to gene therapy. Finally, it is worth mentioning one more unresolved issue that is of general practical concern not only to the physiologist studying diastolic function, but also to the clinician: whether or not it is even feasible to develop a single, sensitive, specific, clinically relevant index of diastolic function that is free from the contaminating influences of rate, contractility, and load. As observed by Glantz 20 years ago, developing indexes with the hope that one might fully delineate the left ventricle's diastolic properties, rather than concentrating on discovering the physiologic significance of such indexes, is probably counterproductive. More recently, in a related article, Slinker implied that an operational definition of any aspect of cardiac function must allow for the measurement of that function over an adequate range of essential variables. Therefore, as previously mentioned, the physiologist studying cardiac function has the daunting task of trying to understand, in a precise way, how the processes and mechanisms of the various phases of the cardiac cycle couple together to produce either a normal or abnormal functioning heart. It seems clear that because of the complex weave of factors that control overall cardiac diastolic function, the derivation of any single index that adequately describes LV diastolic function in vivo may not be possible.

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with hypertension and preserved systolic function

OBJECTIVE

To assess prospectively diastolic function in hypertensive patients with preserved left ventricular function, particularly focusing on the limitation of the transmitral flow velocity curve alone to detect diastolic dysfunction.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Comprehensive Doppler analysis was performed in 51 hypertensive patients with preserved left ventricular systolic function.

RESULTS

The ratio of the peak early diastolic filling wave velocity to the peak velocity of filling wave at atrial contraction was less than the age-adjusted mean value minus 2 SD in 16 patients, and the other 35 patients had a "normal" transmitral Doppler signal. However, the combined transmitral and pulmonary venous Doppler analysis revealed that 12 of these 35 patients had a "pseudonormal" pattern. The prevalence of diastolic dysfunction was estimated at 31% with use of transmitral Doppler alone but increased to 55% when comprehensive Doppler analysis was used (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The presence of diastolic dysfunction has been frequently overlooked in hypertensive patients with transmitral Doppler analysis alone, and an assessment of diastolic function with a comprehensive Doppler analysis is needed in patients at risk for diastolic dysfunction.

Relations of diastolic left ventricular filling to systolic chamber and myocardial contractility in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (The PRESERVE Study)

Abnormalities of left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling and stress-corrected midwall shortening (MWS) have been described in hypertensive patients with normal ejection fraction (EF). However, whether stress-corrected MWS parallels LV diastolic filling better than EF does remains uncertain. Blood pressure, body mass index, echocardiographic LV mass and LV geometry, EF and stress-corrected MWS, LV diastolic filling (peak E- and A-wave velocities, E-wave deceleration time, and atrial filling fraction) were evaluated in 212 hypertensive patients with LV hypertrophy enrolled in the Prospective Randomized Enalapril Study Evaluating Regression of Ventricular Enlargement study. LV structure, geometry, as well as LV diastolic filling, were compared between patients with reduced EF (<55%, n = 39, 18%) and those with normal EF (>55%) as well as between patients with reduced stress-corrected MWS (<89.2%, n = 31, 15%) and those with normal stress-corrected MWS (>89.2%). Patients with reduced EF had higher LV mass, eccentric LV geometry, and higher heart rate than those with normal EF, although they did not differ in age, blood pressure, or body mass index. LV filling pattern was also similar in those 2 groups. Patients with reduced stress-corrected MWS had higher atrial filling fraction, body mass index, heart rate, LV mass, and concentric geometry than those with normal stress-corrected MWS. Atrial filling fraction was negatively associated with stress-corrected MWS, but not with EF in multivariate models, independently of age, gender, heart rate, and body mass index. Thus, in hypertensive patients with LV hypertrophy, abnormal LV diastolic filling is more closely related to impaired myocardial contractility than to LV chamber EF.

Diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive heart disease is associated with altered myocardial metabolism

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is an important clinical problem and is often accompanied by left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and dysfunction. Whether the myocardial high-energy phosphate (HEP) metabolism is altered in human hypertensive heart disease and whether this is associated with LV dysfunction is not known.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Eleven patients with hypertension and 13 age-matched healthy subjects were studied with magnetic resonance imaging at rest and with phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy at rest and during high-dose atropine-dobutamine stress. Hypertensive patients showed higher LV mass (98+/-28 g/m2) than healthy control subjects (73+/-13 g/m2, P<0.01). LV filling was impaired in patients, reflected by a decreased peak rate of wall thinning (PRWThn), E/A ratio, early peak filling rate, and early deceleration peak (all P<0. 05), whereas systolic function was still normal. The myocardial phosphocreatine (PCr)/ATP ratio determined in patients at rest (1. 20+/-0.18) and during stress (0.95+/-0.25) was lower than corresponding values obtained from healthy control subjects at rest (1.39+/-0.17, P<0.05) and during stress (1.16+/-0.18, P<0.05). The PCr/ATP ratio correlated significantly with PRWThn (r=-0.55, P<0.01), early deceleration peak (r=-0.56, P<0.01), and with the rate-pressure product (r=-0.53, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Myocardial HEP metabolism is altered in patients with hypertensive heart disease. In addition, there is an association between impaired LV diastolic function and altered myocardial HEP metabolism in humans. The level of myocardial PCr/ATP is most likely determined by the level of cardiac work load.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and echocardiography--noninvasive techniques for evaluation of the hypertensive patient

Clinic blood pressure measurements have only limited ability to determine which hypertensive patients are at greatest risk of cardiovascular events. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring allows for noninvasive measurement of blood pressure throughout the 24-hour period. This may help to clarify discrepancies between blood pressure values obtained in and out of the clinic and confirm the presence of white-coat hypertension, broadly defined as an elevated clinic blood pressure but a normal ambulatory blood pressure. Ambulatory blood pressure values have been shown to have a better relationship to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and end-organ damage than clinic blood pressure values. Further, patients with white-coat hypertension appear to be at greater risk of cardiovascular morbidity and end-organ damage than a normotensive population, although they are at less overall risk than a hypertensive population. Hypertensive heart disease is characterized by diastolic dysfunction, increased left ventricular mass, and coronary flow abnormalities. Left ventricular hypertrophy increases the risk of coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden death. A variety of invasive and noninvasive techniques are described herein that measure left ventricular mass, diastolic function, and coronary blood flow abnormalities. Most antihypertensive treatments promote regression of left ventricular hypertrophy and reversal of diastolic dysfunction, which may decrease symptoms of congestive heart failure and improve survival.

Functional and metabolic evaluation of the athlete's heart by magnetic resonance imaging and dobutamine stress magnetic resonance spectroscopy

BACKGROUND

The question of whether training-induced left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes is a physiological rather than a pathophysiological phenomenon remains unresolved. The purpose of the present study was to detect any abnormalities in cardiac function in hypertrophic hearts of elite cyclists and to examine the response of myocardial high-energy phosphate metabolism to high workloads induced by atropine-dobutamine stress.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We studied 21 elite cyclists and 12 healthy control subjects. Left ventricular mass, volume, and function were determined by cine MRI. Myocardial high-energy phosphates were examined by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy. There were no significant differences between cyclists and control subjects for left ventricular ejection fraction (59+/-5% versus 61+/-4%), left ventricular cardiac index (3.4+/-0.4 versus 3.4+/-0.4 L x min(-1) x m[-2]), peak early filling rate (562+/-93 versus 535+/-81 mL/s), peak atrial filling rate (315+/-93 versus 333+/-65 mL/s), ratio of early and atrial filling volumes (3.0+/-1.0 versus 2.6+/-0.6), mean acceleration gradient of early filling (5.2+/-1.4 versus 5.8+/-1.9 L/s2), mean deceleration gradient of early filling(-3.1 +/- 0.9 versus -3.2 +/- 0.7 L/s2), mean acceleration gradient of atrial filling (3.6+/-1.8 versus 4.5+/-1.7 L/s2), and atrial filling fraction (0.23+/-0.06 versus 0.26+/-0.04, respectively). Cyclists and control subjects showed similar decreases in the ratio of myocardial phosphocreatine to ATP measured with 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy during atropine-dobutamine stress (1.41+/-0.20 versus 1.41+/-0.18 at rest to 1.21+/-0.20 versus 1.16+/-0.13 during stress, both P=NS).

CONCLUSIONS

Left ventricular hypertrophy in cyclists is not associated with significant abnormalities of cardiac function or metabolism as assessed by MRI and spectroscopy. These observations suggest that training-induced left ventricular hypertrophy in cyclists is predominantly a physiological phenomenon.

Hypertension and pathologic cardiovascular remodeling: a potential therapeutic role for T-type calcium antagonists

Increased myocardial mass (cardiac hypertrophy, left ventricular hypertrophy [LVH]) is an example of the widespread structural cardiovascular changes, often referred to as remodeling, that may be present in association with sustained high blood pressure. LVH strongly predicts myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death in patients with hypertension. As a result, prevention or reversal of hypertensive LVH is widely accepted as a desirable therapeutic goal. Although the molecular mechanisms responsible for remodeling are unclear, it is believed that mechanical, endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine factors control the remodeling process. Certain antihypertensive drugs may have particularly favorable long-term effects in that they prevent and correct these structural changes in addition to reducing arterial pressure. However, the mechanism by which they achieve these effects is not well understood. It is theorized that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors do so by preventing the generation of growth-promoting/mitogenic peptides and that beta-blockers interfere with the growth-promoting effects of catecholamines. In experimental models, the selective blockade of T-type calcium-ion (Ca2+) channels with mibefradil has been demonstrated to have antiproliferative effects in both the renal and cardiac vasculature; in patients with LVH, mibefradil reduced the left ventricular mass index. Therefore, blockade of T-type Ca2+ channels may be useful in the prevention or regression of cardiovascular remodeling. However, further research will be required before the clinical implications of these findings can be assessed.

Cardiac function in patients with treated hypertension during aortic aneurysm repair

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the impact of arterial hypertension on cardiac function during aortic cross-clamping and declamping.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

University hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty treated hypertensive males with slight left ventricular hypertrophy and 10 normotensive controls undergoing elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

INTERVENTIONS

Using transesophageal echocardiography, the mitral inflow profile was evaluated during aortic cross-clamping and declamping.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

During the clamping period, the ratio of peak atrial to peak early filling velocity (PA/PE) was significantly higher in the hypertensive patients. One minute after aortic cross-clamping, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure significantly increased in the hypertensive patients, whereas they did not change in the normotensive group. Cardiac index and heart rate significantly decreased after cross-clamping, and increased after clamp release in both groups. PA/PE significantly dropped in both groups after aortic declamping, and returned to baseline values thereafter. MAP also decreased significantly in both groups after clamp release, but the fall of MAP tended to be more pronounced in the hypertensive patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In the treated hypertensive patients, more pronounced hemodynamic and echocardiographic responses to aortic cross-clamping probably mirror the altered diastolic left ventricular function in these patients. With respect to intraoperative management, however, the treated hypertensive patients did not react grossly differently from the normotensive controls.

Can trasmitral Doppler E-waves differentiate hypertensive hearts from normal?

Physiological models of transmitral flow predict E-wave contour alteration in response to variation of model parameters (stiffness, relaxation, mass) reflecting the physiology of hypertension. Accordingly, analysis of only the E-wave (rather than the E-to-A ratio) should be able to differentiate between hypertensive subjects and control subjects. Conventional versus model-based image processing methods have never been compared in their ability to differentiate E-waves of hypertensive subjects with respect to age-matched control subjects. Digitally acquired transmitral Doppler flow images were analyzed by an automated model-based image processing method. Model-derived indexes were compared with conventional E-wave indexes in 22 subjects: 11 with hypertension and echocardiographically verified ventricular hypertrophy and 11 age-matched nonhypertensive control subjects. Conventional E-wave indexes included peak E, E, and acceleration and deceleration times. Model-based image processing-derived indexes included acceleration and deceleration times, potential energy index, and damping and kinematic constants. Intergroup comparison yielded lower probability values for model-based compared with conventional indexes. In the subjects studied, Doppler E-wave images analyzed by this automated method (which eliminates the need for hand-digitizing contours or the manual placement of cursors) demonstrate diastolic function alteration secondary to hypertension made discernible by model-based indexes. The method uses the entire E-wave contour, quantitatively differentiates between hypertensive subjects and control subjects, and has potential for automated noninvasive diastolic function evaluation in large patient populations, such as hypertension and other transmitral flow velocity-altering pathophysiological states.

Doppler echocardiographic indexes and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure data in sedentary middle-aged men presenting exaggerated blood pressure response during dynamical exercise test

Previous studies have pointed out that exaggerated blood pressure (BP) response during physical exercise could be an early marker of essential hypertension. Apparently some of the exaggerated BP responders present changes in the heart geometry and function that are usually found in the early course of the hypertensive disease. To evaluate the association between exaggerated BP response and these changes, we submitted 20 normotensive men presenting elevated BP response during bicycle exercise (hyperreactive group, systolic BP > or = 220 mmHg at maximal workload) to 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and to two-dimensionally guided M-mode echocardiography and pulsed Doppler. The results from this group were contrasted with those of a comparable group, which otherwise, presented normal BP response during the same procedure (control group, systolic BP < or = 210 mmHg at maximal workload). The ABPM measurements were normal and analogous between the two groups: the mean 24-h systolic blood pressure (SBP) was respectively 126 +/- 6 mmHg and 129 +/- 5 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 82 +/- 4 mmHg in both groups, and heart rate (HR), respectively 76 +/- 9 and 74 +/- 7 bpm. The univariate correlation (R) between the maximal BP response during bicycle exercise and BP measurements in the ABPM were in general weak, and as a whole, the hyperreactive group presented the weakest correlation coefficients. M-mode echocardiographic data such as the left ventricular mass index (LVMI, 80 +/- 10 vs. 81 +/- 11 g/m2), posterior wall and interventricular septal thickness (PWT, 8.8 +/- 0.6 vs. 8.6 +/- 0.7 mm; IVST, 9.0 +/- 0.4 vs. 8.8 +/- 0.6) were also normal and comparable between the groups. LV systolic functional indexes such as fractional shortening (LVFS, 39 +/- 2.8 vs. 40 +/- 3.5%) and ejection fraction (LVEF, 70 +/- 3.5 vs. 71 +/- 3.7%) were also normal and similar. Doppler-derived LV diastolic functional indexes such as the peak velocity of early flow divided by the peak velocity of late flow (RE/A) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) were also equivalent (RE/A, both 1.3 +/- 0.2, IVRT 79 +/- 7 vs. 81 +/- 6 msec). These results support the concept that an exaggerated BP elevation during physical activity, when not accompanied of higher levels of BP during daily activities are not associated with changes in the heart geometry or in the ventricular function, and might represent an hemodynamical behavior of limited pathological and clinical importance. These conclusions must be taken cautiously since personal characteristics such as life style, family history of hypertension, gender, race and also the levels of BP chosen to delimit a normal and an exaggerated BP response might be important factors determining the consequences of the hyperreactive behavior.

Role of left ventricular hypertrophy in diastolic dysfunction in aged hypertensive patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the influence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) on the diastolic dysfunction in older hypertensive patients.

METHODS

In total 665 patients (58% men, 61% White, aged 55-80 years) with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension underwent Doppler echocardiography. Data included left ventricular dimensions, left ventricular mass index, body mass index, E- and A-wave mitral flow velocities, E:A ratio, deceleration time > 150 ms), impaired relaxation (E:A ratio < 1.0, prolonged deceleration time according to age), and restrictive physiology (E:A ratio > 2.1, deceleration time < 150 ms)]. Data were distributed according to age (50-59, 60-69, and 70-80 years).

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of sex-adjusted LVH in this study was 65%. When we compared hypertensive patients with and without LVH, the E- and A-wave velocities, E:A ratio, and deceleration time were similar. Moreover, the prevalences of normal, impaired relaxation, and restrictive physiology patterns among patients with and without LVH did not differ significantly (20, 79.5, and 0.5 versus 24, 75.5, and 0.5%). When the mitral flow patterns were adjusted according to age, the impaired relaxation pattern increased further with age (to 73% during the fifth decade, 83% during the sixth decade, and 88% during the seventh decade).

CONCLUSIONS

LVH is not an independent factor associated with abnormal flow patterns in hypertensive patients aged over 50 years with normal systolic contractility. The impaired relaxation is the predominant pattern of diastolic dysfunction in older hypertensive patients and increases further with aging.

Heart function in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis and mildly to moderately impaired renal function. An echocardiographic study

Left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic heart dysfunction have been reported in essential hypertension and in patients with chronic renal failure, treated with haemodialysis, but a close association with blood pressure (BP) level has not been uniformly documented. Thus, other factors could be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction. The aims of the present echocardiographic study were to investigate cardiac morphology and function in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis with mildly to moderately impaired renal function, and to study the relation between echocardiographic findings and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), BP and age. Twenty patients with chronic glomerulonephritis and 14 healthy controls, of the same age- and sex-distribution, were examined by 2D-, M-mode and pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography. In patients, GFR was determined as plasma clearance of Cr-EDTA. The patients had significantly thicker left ventricular (LV) posterior walls in end diastole (8.7 vs 8.1 mm, p < 0.05), and a higher LV mass index (106.5 vs 93.8 g/m2, p < 0.05). Systolic functional indices, i.e. LV fractional shortening and LV ejection fraction, were statistically significantly lower in patients than in controls (p < 0.05). LV diastolic function in patients was characterized by a statistically significantly lower early peak flow velocity (E-Vmax) (0.66 compared with 0.8 m/s) and early to late peak flow velocity ratio (E/A ratio) (1.07 vs 1.41), as well as E/A ratio of time velocity indices (VTI-E/A) (1.45 vs 1.99) (p < 0.05). The right ventricular filling indices showed a tendency towards a lower E-Vmax in patients (0.55 compared with 0.62 m/s, p = 0.1). In patients, statistically significant negative correlations were found between age and mitral E/A ratio (r = -0.76, p < 0.0001), as well as LV VTI-E/A(r = -0.81, p < 0.0001). The same trend was seen for the tricuspid E/A ratio. No statistically significant correlations were found in patients between mitral or tricuspid E/A ratio and GFR, BP, LV mass or heart rate.

IN CONCLUSION

in a group of patients with chronic glomerulonephritis and mildly to moderately impaired renal function, it was found by means of echocardiography that there was a higher LV mass index and decreased systolic function, when compared with healthy controls. In addition, the patients had diastolic dysfunction of primarily the left ventricle. The echocardiographic findings were not correlated to BP level or renal function. This suggests that factors other than GFR or BP per se might be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction, at an early stage.

Disparity between diastolic mitral flow characteristics and left ventricular mass in essential hypertension

Because left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and aging have been associated with abnormal LV relaxation, this study evaluated the impact of LV mass on the filling patterns derived by Doppler in a large population aged > or =50 years. Results suggest that in essential hypertension the intrinsic myocardial composition is more important than cardiac hypertrophy in determining LV diastolic properties. This apparent discrepancy between LV mass and diastolic filling patterns highlights the difficulty in establishing the diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction in elderly hypertensives.

Evolution of left ventricular hypertrophy and function during long-term treatment of systemic hypertension with enalapril

Continued treatment of hypertensive patients with enalapril reduced left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy steadily over a period of 5 years (by which time gross structural parameters were normal) and produced no further reduction during the following 2 years. Temporary suspension of treatment after 5-year follow-up gave rise to an increase in blood pressure, and to deterioration of LV isovolumic relaxation time and deceleration of the ventricular filling E wave, both of which chiefly reflect the active relaxation of the ventricle.

Mechanism of left atrial enlargement related to ventricular diastolic impairment in hypertension

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS

Systemic hypertension is the leading cause of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of left atrial (LA) enlargement in patients with hypertensive heart disease during cardiac catheterization.

METHODS

Data were obtained from eight control subjects and seven patients with hypertensive heart disease. Left atrial and LV pressures from catheter-tip micromanometer, and LA and LV volumes from biplane cineangiograms were analyzed during the same cardiac cycle.

RESULTS

Left atrial maximal volume were 93 +/- 26 ml in patients with hypertensive heart disease and 63 +/- 12 ml in control subjects (p < 0.05). In patients with hypertensive heart disease, time constant of LV relaxation was significantly greater than that in controls (54 +/- 18 vs. 31 +/- 16 ms, respectively; p < 0.01). Left atrial maximal volume correlated with time constant of LV relaxation (r = 0.86, p < 0.01). The ratio of LV filling volume before LA contraction to LV stroke volume in patients with hypertensive heart disease was significantly lower than that in control subjects (65 +/- 13 vs. 76 +/- 7%, respectively; p < 0.05). On the other hand, the ratio of LV filling volume during LA contraction to stroke volume in patients with hypertensive heart disease was significantly higher than that in controls (35 +/- 13 vs. 24 +/- 7%, respectively; p < 0.05). Left atrial volume before LA contraction in patients with hypertensive heart disease was significantly larger than that in controls (74 +/- 22 vs. 47 +/- 10 ml, respectively, p < 0.01). During LA contraction, LA work was significantly increased in patients with hypertensive heart disease compared with that in controls (274 +/- 101 vs. 94 +/- 42 mmHg. ml, respectively; p < 0.001). Left atrial work showed significant correlation with LA volume before LA contraction (r = 0.75, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Left ventricular diastolic filling was impaired in patients with hypertensive heart disease. Enlargement of left atrium might be attributed to the impairment of blood flow from left atrium to left ventricle due to the increased LV stiffness.

Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function assessed with two-dimensional and doppler echocardiography in "white coat" hypertension

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate left ventricular function in subjects with "white coat" hypertension, defined as office arterial diastolic pressure > or = 90 and ambulatory daytime pressures < 140/90 mm Hg.

BACKGROUND

The white coat arterial pressure response may, by influencing left ventricular function, have a confounding effect in studies of heart disease.

METHODS

Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography combined with the calibrated subclavian arterial pulse tracing, were used to assess variables of left ventricular function in 26 subjects with white coat hypertension (office arterial diastolic pressure > or = 90 and < 115 mm Hg and ambulatory daytime diastolic pressure > or = 90 mm Hg) and 32 normotensive subjects.

RESULTS

In subjects with white coat hypertension, systolic arterial pressure during the echocardiographic examination was significantly higher than ambulatory daytime systolic pressure. This pressure response was positively related to the ratio of the systolic to diastolic pulmonary venous flow peak velocities and to the peak velocity of flow reversion during atrial systole; it was inversely related to the ratio of early to late mitral flow peak velocities. Left ventricular stroke volume, ejection fraction and velocity of circumferential fiber shortening did not differ in the study groups, but left ventricular external work and end-systolic wall stress were increased in the white coat group.

CONCLUSIONS

The arterial pressure response in subjects with white coat hypertension is associated with increased left ventricular external work, increased end-systolic wall stress and alterations of left ventricular filling but normal ejection fraction and velocity of circumferential fiber shortening.

Antihypertensive treatment in hypertensive patients with normal left ventricular mass is associated with left ventricular remodeling and improved diastolic function

Antihypertensive therapy in hypertensive patients with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy causes hypertrophy regression and improved diastolic filling. Whether similar changes occur in hypertensive patients with diastolic dysfunction and no hypertrophy is unknown. We determined the effect of antihypertensive therapy of LV geometry and function in hypertensive patients without hypertrophy. In 18 mild to moderate hypertensive patients without significant hypertrophy, baseline echocardiograms and rest and exercise and radionuclide angiograms were performed. Subjects were treated for 8 to 12 months with the calcium channel blocker felodipine and then restudied 2 weeks after treatment withdrawal. Blood pressure normalized with treatment (165 +/- 22/98 +/- 9 to 128 +/- 12/80 +/- 5 mm Hg, p <0.001) and returned to pretreatment levels after therapy withdrawal. Rest ejection fraction and peak oxygen consumption and cardiac outputs were unchanged after treatment, but rest peak filling rate increased (2.63 +/- 0.57 to 3.11 +/- 0.95 end-diastolic volume/second, p <0.05). Ejection fraction increased with exercise only after treatment (64 +/- 5% at rest to 71 +/- 8% at peak exercise, p <0.05). LV mass index was unchanged (97 +/- 18 to 101 +/- 23 g/m2), but relative wall thickness declined (0.41 +/- 0.05 to 0.37 +/- 0.05) and LV end-diastolic dimension increased (4.9 +/- 0.4 to 5.2 +/- 0.4, p = 0.01). Blood pressures control in hypertensive patients without hypertrophy leads to improved peak filling rates and remodeling with decreased relative wall thickness. Improved diastolic function can occur without alterations in LV mass.