Echocardiographic and clinical correlations in systemic hyper-tension

Abstract

Echocardiographic measurements in 47 asymptomatic hypertensive patients were correlated with duration and severity of blood pressure elevation and with optic fundoscopic findings. These observations were also compared with electrocardiographic and chest roentgenographic measurements. Echo left ventricular wall thickness (LVWT) correlated best with duration of known hypertension. For 22 recent hypertensive patients the LVWT mean was 0.9 ± 0.3 cm whereas mean LVWT for 25 patients hypertensive for five or more years was 1.3 ± 0.2, (p ≤ 0.01). More severe initial diastolic pressure and the presence of hypertensive fundi also correlated with increased wall thickness. Increased left atrial diameter (≥ 2 cm m²) was observed primarily in the presence of longstanding disease. ECG and cardiothoracic ratio by xray did not correlate highly with the echo abnormalities. These observations suggest that echocardiography may be a sensitive and early means of recognizing cardiac changes in hypertensive patients.