[Exploration of left ventricular relaxation using gamma-angiography in 70 hypertensive subjects. Practical consequences and implications].

This study was performed to evaluate the incidence ant the practical consequences of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive. In 70 mild to moderate hypertensive subjects group [systolic 161 +/- 16 and diastolic blood pressure 104 +/- 9 mmHg 18 women, 52 men, 51 +/- 7 years old] and in a 15 normal subjects control group, the peak filling rate (PFR) and the time to peak filling rate (TPFR) were measured with the time/activity curve of the rest equilibrium blood pool scintigraphy. The ejection fraction and the stress test were normal in all patients [EF 0.66 +/- 0.05, ranging from 0.59 to 0.88]. The PFR was not significantly different in the hypertensive group but 59/70 patients [84 p. 100] showed an individual value lower than the theoretical age and heart rate expected value. The TPFR was not significantly different (183 +/- 33 ms-vs 180, p = ns). In a Holter-defined sub-group of patients (n = 22) exhibiting a high prevalence of supra-ventricular premature beats or a paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, the PFR was significantly slower than in the total hypertensive group [1.92 +/- 0.33 EDV/s-1, p = 0.02]. Early indices of diastolic function give some instantaneous information on left ventricular filling. Determining the exact significance of individual values of PFR and TPFR requires a better knowledge of physiologic and pathologic determinants of LV filling.