Study of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Systemic Hypertension and Evaluation by Doppler Echocardiography

Abstract

BACKGROUND Persons suffering from Systemic Hypertension are likely to have cardiovascular side effects and this can be evaluated via a Doppler Echocardiography. Hypertension has been shown to be a good prognostic marker in the cardiovascular mortality. This study was done to detect the relationship between Hypertension and Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction to evaluate its role in pathogenesis and its influence amidst other factors such as gender, smoking, hypercholesterolaemia and effect of lifestyle. MATERIALS AND METHODS 153 random patients presenting with or already having been diagnosed with systemic hypertension and not having any renal disease, diabetes mellitus, IHD, cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, pericardial disease etc. Consent was taken from all patients. History and examination was done according to a proforma. Blood pressure was taken along with haematological and biochemical examination and ECG was done to rule out secondary hypertension and IHD. All those in the inclusion criteria were taken for Echocardiography and M-mode measurements were taken and EF was calculated. RESULTS 55.6% were having diastolic dysfunction. Majority of them, i.e. 67 (72.8%) of those having diastolic dysfunction were from age group of 51-60 years. Overweight patients, i.e. 52 (33.98%) among which 27 (51.9%) were having diastolic dysfunction. 64 patients (41.8%) were having hypertension since 5-10 years, out of which 39 (60.9%) were having diastolic dysfunction. There are 3 patients above 15 years history of hypertension and all had diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSION Our study revealed that there is positive co-relation of duration of hypertension with diastolic dysfunction. Other contributory factors found were greater age, male sex, urban population, obesity and smoking which contributed to development of diastolic dysfunction.