Left ventricular apical rotation is related to ambulatory blood pressure and body mass in healthy elderly females.

Objective: The interaction between left ventricular (LV) apical rotation, blood pressure (BP) and body mass in elderly females may reveal mechanisms involved in the syndrome of diastolic heart failure.

Methods: Thirty-one healthy females, age 69-84 years, were studied with echocardiography, ambulatory BP and an exercise capacity (VO2peak) test.

Results: LV apical short-axis loops were eligible for speckle tracking analysis in 27 subjects.