Reversal of Diastolic Dysfunction in Borderline Hypertension by Long-Term Medical Treatment Longitudinal Evaluation by Pulsed Doppler Echocardiography

This study aimed to assess the left ventricular diastolic function of borderline hypertensive patients (BHT) and to determine the effect of long-term blood pressure control by an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor on the left ventricular filling profile. Pulsed Doppler echocardiograms were obtained from 18 BHT (14 men, 4 women; mean age: 55 years) and 20 age-sex matched normotensive controls. Studies were done at rest and immediately after exercise on a supine ergometer bicycle. Of the 18 patients, 11 were treated with delapril (30 mg/day) and followed up with longitudinal studies for 24 weeks. At baseline, BHT had a normal left ventricular structure. They showed a decreased peak velocity of early filling (E) (43 +/- 7 v 56 +/- 13 cm/sec, P < .01) and E/A ratio (0.83 +/- 0.2 v 1.08 +/- 0.3, P < .01), whereas peak velocity of late filling (A) and deceleration time (Dec T) were similar in the two groups. Exercise-enhanced filling indices were observed in both groups. Following blood pressure control, no change was observed in the left ventricular morphology. In contrast, progressive improvement of resting and after exercise peak velocity of early filling and E/A ratio were achieved. This indicates that long-term angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition ameliorates cardiac function in borderline hypertension.