Evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensives

Background: Recently much of attention is focused on the diastolic function of the heart. Since the systolic performance of the heart in hypertensive patients has been examined so far, but the study of the diastolic function of heart has emerged as a newer mode of study. Aim: To study non-invasively the diastolic function of left ventricle in patients with systemic hypertension. Materials and methods: Twenty patients either admitted or as outpatients in outpatients Department, Gandhi Hospital with isolated systemic hypertension. (HTN) who satisfied inclusion and exclusion criteria were taken up for the study with five age matched individuals who along served as controls assessed by Doppler Echo-cardiography and their findings were compared with five normotensive age matched controls. Results: Bedside post valsalva maneuver, this test was positive in 7 5% of the test subjects. Of the 25% who had a negative test, 40% had evidence of diastolic dysfunction as assessed by pulsed wave Doppler. Left ventricular hypertrophy was present in 55% of the patient subgroup and all (100%) of these patients had significant diastolic dysfunction. The rest of the 45% of the patients did not have left ventricular hypertrophy. 75% of these non-hypertrophic hypertensives had diastolic dysfunction as seen by PWD. Increased left ventricular mass index has been observed in 85% of the hypertensives but has not correlated statistically with either severity of blood pressure or diastolic filling variables or isovolumic relaxation time. The left atrial size an indirect indicator of LV diastolic function was increased in 50% of the hypertensive subjects when compared with the controls but the statistical difference was insignificant. LV diastolic function as assessed by PWD mitral flow velocity profile and isometric volume relaxation time was abnormal in 85% of the hypertensive subgroup and was highly significant statistically (P value <0.005). The deceleration time (MS) was similar in both the controls and the hypertensives making it an insignificant parameter for assessing LV diastolic function. The peak filling rate was reduced in the hypertensive subgroup and was of moderate statistical significance. Conclusion: Doppler Echocardiography, an easily available non invasive technique today, can be utilized for identifying hypertensives with diastolic dysfunction and thus treat this group with specific therapy (Beta Blockers) so as to arrest or reverse the pathological changes produced in left ventricle due to hypertension.