Left ventricle function in systemic hypertension from M-Mode to speckle tracking echocardiography

Background: Hypertension results in hemodynamic changes affecting the left ventricle .Two-dimensional echocardiography detect early diastolic dysfunction and left ventricle hypertrophy However ,the systolic function assessed by ejection fraction in most cases is not affected .Speckle tracking Echocardiography(STE) can detect early systolic dysfunction by longitudinal strain and strain rates even with normal ejection fraction Objective: The aim of the study to assess subtle LV dysfunction in hypertensive patients with and without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) using speckle tracking echocardiography Patients and Methods: Eighty hypertensive patients were recruited from outpatient clinics at Cairo University Hospitals from April 2014 to April 2015. Patients were classified into Left ventricle hypertrophy group (group I) and non-LVH group (group II). Twenty sex and agematched healthy individuals were recruited as controls Results: In spite of normal ejection fraction, LV systolic dysfunction was unmasked using the speckle tracking imaging that revealed reduced left ventricle global longitudinal systolic strains in hypertensive participants Conclusion: In this group of hypertensive patients, myocardial strain parameters identified group of individuals with subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction despite preserved ejection fraction even before LVH occurs