Structural and functional changes in the heart of the hypertensive patient. An echocardiographic study
Guadalajara Boo, J.F.; Galván Montiel, O.; Camacho, P.; Espinola, N.; Cervantes Escárcega, J.L.; Huerta Hernández, D.
Archivos del Instituto de Cardiologia de Mexico 65(1): 31-38
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0020-3785 PMID: 7639594 Document Number: 449184
We studied 15 patients with essential hypertension (EH) in whom the diagnosis was corroborated with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). The blood pressure levels (BP) were compared with values obtained from healthy people (HP). We studied 31 HP with 2-D echocardiogram and the parameters of ventricular performance were compared with the values obtained from EH people. ABPM shown that the EH people has higher BP values than HP around 24 hs (EH loss the circadian rhythm of BP). On the other hand the EH had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with normal systolic ventricular function (VF). The systolic wall stress was low because the LVH was inappropriate. The LVH as adaptative mechanism maintains normal the VF in spite of pressure overload without increasing MVO2. When the pressure overload is not eradicated in a variable amount of time the adaptative mechanisms slowly change to a pathologic process caused by collagen deposition in the interstitium of the heart. In advanced stages the remodeling process causes diastolic disfunction, myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias and death by heart failure or suddenly. This last stage is the real hypertensive heart disease.