Left ventricular mass and global function in essential hypertension after antihypertensive therapy

This study compares left ventricular global function in 55 patients (25 wit h hypertrophy and 30 without hypertrophy) with essential hypertension, whos e blood pressure had been stable for longer than 1 year, with that in 35 he althy subjects. Left ventricular global function was calculated using the e chocardiographic Doppler index as described by Tei ef al. (Tei index). No s ignificant differences were observed in echocardiographic left ventricular systolic function between the three groups. Left ventricular global functio n differed significantly between the three groups, however, suggesting impa ired left ventricular global function even in the absence of left ventricul ar hypertrophy. Similar changes were observed in the ratio of peak velocity of atrial systole to peak velocity of early diastole during left ventricul ar inflow waveform (A/E), indicating that this disorder mainly reflects imp aired left ventricular diastolic function. Unlike A/E, the Tei index is not affected by increasing age, and, therefore, is appropriate for evaluating left ventricular global function in hypertensive patients, most of whom are middle-aged or older. This index may be useful for determining treatment s trategy and evaluating treatment effects.