The authors examined by Doppler and one-dimensional echocardiography 20 patients with concentric hypertrophy of the musculature of the left ventricle and hypertension and 20 healthy subjects of similar age. As compared with the control group, they found in all patients deterioration of indicators of left ventricular diastolic function. The rate of blood flow in the early diastolic phase (Ev) was reduced and the ratio of the atrial contraction (Av) in the filling of the left ventricle increased (p less than 0.001). The maximal blood flow across the mitral orifice in early diastole (PFR) was lower (p less than 0.05) and the slowing down of the early diastolic flow (E-F) was more marked (p less than 0.001). The peak rate of relaxation (Vr) was also lower in the group of hypertonics (p less than 0.01). These disorders are an early sign of cardiac affection in hypertension and precede changes of systolic function. The impaired diastolic function is directly proportional to the weight of the left ventricle (for Av/Ev r = 0.76, PFR r = 0.68, E-F r = -0.82). The results of examinations obtained by Doppler echocardiography correlate with relaxation of the myocardium of the left ventricle assessed by computer processing of the TM echocardiogram (for Av/Ev r = 0.72, DHT r = 0.66, E-F r = 0.76).

Keywords: Adult; Aged; Blood Flow Velocity; Cardiomegaly /complications/; Diastole; Echocardiography, Doppler; Female; Humans; Hypertension /complications/; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Contraction