[The heart in hypertension].

After indications to the great epidemiologic importance of hypertensive heart disease and its relationship with the ischaemic heart disease several results are reported collected during the past 10 years by examinations of more than 500 patients for early diagnosis of cardiac insufficiency in hypertension. The methods of microcatheterization of the pulmonary artery and radiography have been used (even under ergometrical exercise) as well as the calibrated apex cardiography and the echocardiography. For the practising physician a classification of hypertensive heart disease with 4 phases or forms is proposed.

Echocardiography [UCG] in hypertension. Myocardial performance comparison with controls and sportsmen.

Thanks to a number of parameters available, mean velocity of fibre shortening (mVCF), fibre shortening (FS%), ejection fraction (AF), stroke volume (SV), enddiastolic volume (EDV), echocardiography (UCG) is a non-invasive and well reproducible technique for examining the functioning of the heart. The UCG results obtained for 93 pre-treated male non-congestive hypertensives were compared with those obtained for 75 normotensives and 21 endurance sportsmen. In spite of the increasing degree of HT (WHO standards), the cases studied did not show a statistically significant decrease in the myocardial function.

Echocardiography in hypertension. Dimensions and mass of the left ventricle. Comparison with controls and sportsmen.

The investigation was carried out to determine dimensions and mass of the left ventricle (LV) in relation to the stages of essential arterial hypertension (HT). 93 male non-congestive hypertensives (WHO stages I to III) were examined by means of echocardiography (UCG) (2.25 MHz single element transducer), using the T - M - technique (Organon - Technika, The Netherlands).

Echocardiographic and haemodynamic investigations of heart function in hypertension.

In 30 male hypertensive patients (mean age 46 +/- 7 years), WHO stage I-III, the end-diastolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAEDP) as indicator of the left ventricular filling pressure was compared with echocardiographic parametres using the time-motion technique. Group A (without increased PAEDP) revealed significantly different mean values of the mean velocity of circumferential fibre shortening (mVCF) and the mitral closure rate in comparison to Group B (with increased PAEDP), indicating a reduced left ventricular performance in Group B even at rest. This is in accordance with a (insignificantly) lower ejection fraction and with higher mitral septal separation (E IVS) values and with more exercise ECG results indicating ischaemia in Group B.