Abstract

Objectives This study tests the hypothesis that patients with treated hypertension with well-controlled blood pressure, without ventricular hypertrophy and normal resting echocardiography, may have abnormalities of ventricular function that are apparent only on exercise and contribute to symptoms of exertional dyspnoea.

Methods Patients with hypertension with well-controlled blood pressure on medication and normal baseline echocardiography underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing to determine their peak oxygen consumption (Vo_2max), followed by rest and submaxinal supine exercise echocardiography (standard, tissue Doppler and speckle tracking).

Results 30 patients with treated hypertension with a history of exertional dyspnoea (mean age 71±8 years; 18 women) and 22 age-matched healthy controls (70±6 years; 16 women) had rest and exercise images of sufficient quality for analysis. Both groups had comparable standard echocardiographic findings at rest. On exercise, the patients had reduced systolic longitudinal function (reserve index 0.97±1.34 vs 2.32±1.24, p=0.001), delayed early untwisting (20.4±7.6 vs 30.6±7.8%, p=0.001) and reduced ventricular suction (velocity propagation 10.6±10.9 vs 24.5±12.2 m/s, p<0.001) compared with healthy controls, which correlated with significantly reduced Vo_2max.

Conclusion Patients with treated hypertension with normal resting echocardiography can have exercise limitation associated with widespread systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction on exercise. Normal resting echocardiography does not preclude the presence of significant functional abnormalities on exercise that can contribute to symptoms.